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The German national team has been looking for an opportunity to make things right since the last international break. The last time Germany played a game was in November 2020.
Back then, Die Mannschaft was in a fragile state and were routed 6-0 by a rampant Spain side. The capitulation against La Roja opened a can of worms, signalling serious problems within the team.
However, there were enough positives to take from Germany’s opening World Cup qualifying match against Iceland on Thursday.
Joachim Low’s side put in an impressive performance, with goals from Leon Goretzka, Kai Havertz and Ilkay Gundogan securing a deserved 3-0 victory.
Germany new boys shine against Iceland
Low has been under pressure to bring back the banished Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng following the poor results.
The 6-0 defeat at the hands of Spain only increased such calls, however, the new generation of German players look set to bail their coach out. On Thursday, several of the young players stepped up against Iceland.
Joshua Kimmich was the star of the show as he put in an assured performance in midfield. Havertz was also a lively presence and got on the score sheet, while Goretzka, Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry were equally threatening in attack.
For a team in rebuild, this was a great result, made even better by the performances of the young players.
Germany on the right track again
Low will step down after the Euros in the summer. However, the 61-year-old will be leaving the team in good shape.
Having won the 2014 World Cup and led the side in one of their most successful eras, it may just be the right time to bow out. He has managed to phase out the deadwood, while empowering young players to take over the mantle.
“I’m satisfied for the most part. We started the game very energetically and dynamically and wanted to make a statement right away,” Low said after the Iceland game, as quoted by the DFB.
“The team went into the game with the right attitude. In the second half, we played too many passes to the back and missed some moments to pick up the pace again. I still see room for improvement in our game.”
The 3-0 win over Iceland is proof enough that the current crop of Germany players can shine and a new era of success might be around the corner.
