Germany advanced to the quarter-finals of a major tournament for the first time in eight years, but challenges remain for Julian Nagelsmann’s Euro 2024 hosts. The home side won 2-0 in Dortmund, overcoming a determined Denmark and a 25-minute thunderstorm delay that disrupted Germany’s early momentum.
Nagelsmann described the match as “bizarre” and “wild,” acknowledging that Germany needed some luck to defeat the Danes, with two VAR reviews within a minute favoring the hosts. The coach’s unforced changes to the starting XI, particularly the decision to replace the in-form Florian Wirtz with Leroy Sane, who had another frustrating night, are likely to be scrutinized.
Having weathered the storm on Saturday, Germany will hope for a smoother path ahead, especially with a potential clash against an in-form Spain on the horizon.
Selection Changes
The first surprise of an unpredictable evening emerged with the announcement of the starting XI, as Julian Nagelsmann made two changes to his line-up—the first time he has done so in 2024. Since revamping Germany’s squad in March, Nagelsmann has only deviated from his strongest XI due to injuries.
Nagelsmann’s decision to replace the defensively inclined Maximilian Mittelstaedt with the more attack-minded David Raum was a nod to Raum’s assist for Niclas Fuellkrug’s late equalizer against Switzerland. The other unforced change, swapping out Florian Wirtz for Leroy Sane, was more contentious. Sane displayed speed but struggled with control and timing. Nagelsmann defended the move, saying he wanted to “reward a good week of training and bring some speed into the game,” highlighting Sane’s different characteristics compared to Wirtz.
Wirtz, 21, entered the match with nine minutes remaining and immediately made an impact by holding up possession and finding runners. The decision to again select Kai Havertz over Fuellkrug also sparked debate, despite Havertz converting a second-half penalty. In open play, Havertz had several opportunities but failed to capitalize. His 10th-minute volley was saved by Danish goalie Kasper Schmeichel, who also stopped a tame Havertz header from close range just before halftime.
With Germany leading 1-0 and 30 minutes left, Havertz missed a crucial chance, chipping wide with only the goalkeeper to beat. Fortunately for Germany, Jamal Musiala exhibited the killer instinct needed, scoring on a counterattack with 22 minutes remaining to secure the victory. Musiala has now scored in three of Germany’s four games at Euro 2024, establishing himself as the hosts’ most reliable attacking force.
Germany will aim for a clearer path ahead, particularly with a potential clash against in-form Spain on the horizon.
‘We can be Beaten’
The match once again underscored Germany’s ongoing issues with defending set pieces. This pre-tournament talking point has proven to be a persistent vulnerability for Julian Nagelsmann’s side. Against Scotland, Germany conceded an own goal from a set piece, and they were fortunate against Hungary when a free-kick goal was ruled out for offside.
In the second half of the match against Denmark, a free kick caused chaos in the German box, eventually leading to Joachim Andersen turning the ball into the net. However, a lengthy VAR review determined that Andersen was offside by mere centimeters. Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand, visibly frustrated, showed reporters the VAR images during the post-match press conference, stating, “It’s one centimeter. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not how we are supposed to be using VAR.”
The controversy was compounded when, moments after Andersen’s goal was disallowed, Germany went to the other end and won a penalty. Despite the fortunate outcome for Germany, the ease with which Andersen managed to get a shot off amidst several flat-footed German defenders is a worrying sign for Nagelsmann.
With the quarter-finals approaching, defender Joshua Kimmich aptly summarized the uneven nature of the match and Germany’s tournament performance thus far. As Germany prepares for tougher opponents, addressing their set-piece vulnerabilities will be crucial to their success in the latter stages of Euro 2024.
“We’re on a good run,” the Bayern Munich defender said, adding “we know that we can beat anyone – but that we can also be beaten.”
