Group A: Switzerland 1 Germany 1
A last-ditch header from Niclas Füllkrug spared Germany from a surprise loss against Switzerland in Frankfurt, ensuring the home team progressed to the next stage as Group A leaders. Switzerland, who had upset Julian Nagelsmann’s carefully arranged strategies and outmanoeuvred the home side for substantial periods, had to accept second place owing to a simple striker’s goal at the eleventh hour.
Germany and Switzerland have gone head-to-head 54 times in the international football arena, more than the Germans have faced any other team. The former won 36 of the previous 53 games. It’s beyond the mark to say familiarity resulted in scorn, but a touch of complacency seemed to hover in Frankfurt’s mild air.
The pre-match mood was strikingly laid-back, with well-off Germans and Swiss leisurely moving around the lush sports campus in the forest on the outskirts of Frankfurt. This was a stark contrast to the riotous scenes in Stuttgart, where Scottish fans turned the city into a raucous party. A quiet wander around the stadium would find no trace of a chant or a song.
During the first couple of games, no team passed the ball with more speed or intensity than the Germans. The challenge for them was to maintain that frenetic pace in such a tranquil setting.
About 16 minutes into the match, it appeared Germany had bagged their typical early goal. Robert Andrich’s long-range strike caught Yann Sommer off guard, but it was disqualified due to a foul by Jamal Musiala against Michel Aebischer during the setup. The infraction from Musiala was likened to Kevin De Bruyne’s incident with the Romanian keeper, Florin Nitu, only the night before, suggesting different VAR officials have varying interpretations.
Fast forward just 12 minutes, Switzerland took the lead following their first substantial attack. The Swiss capitalised on Musiala’s mistake and made a swift attack down the left. A swift cross from Freuler was powerfully volleyed into the net by Dan Ndoye, catching the German defence off-guard.
There was a subsequent offside check, however, it provided no relief for Germany. A near miss following the restart saw Ndoye, ignited by the thrill of obtaining his debut international goal almost add another to his tally as he outpaced Rüdiger and narrowly missed Neuer’s far post with a sharp, low shot.
Germany was now facing a significant challenge. The outcome of the match could disrupt their anticipated smooth progression toward a Dortmund second-round match, probably against the team finishing second in the England group. Instead, they could travel to Berlin for a clash likely against Italy.
The swift pass patterns that outmaneuvered Scotland and Hungary didn’t show up against the disciplined and tight Swiss defense. The home team was also their own worst enemies, making some avoidable errors, left-back Max Mittelstadt being a regular offender, forfeiting advantageous positions with poor control.
A ludicrous foul at 37 minutes was committed by Jonathan Tah on Breel Embolo. Tah handled a jump ball poorly, resulting in his leg hitting Embolo’s head and earning him a booking which will result in his suspension for the next round.
Signs of Germany slowly getting into the game started to appear toward the close of the first half, this probably influenced Julian Nagelsmann’s choice to retain the same strategy for the remainder of the match. Germany, however, began the second half sluggishly, with Switzerland capitalising on mistakes to create early opportunities.
Florian Wirtz delivered a spark of brilliance. He swiveled and played a through ball that eluded four Swiss defenders, but Musiala’s powerful shot was repelled by Sommer.
Nagelsmann made his initial changes just over an hour into the game, introducing centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck and left-back David Raum, replacing Tah and the struggling Mittelstadt. Five minutes afterward, a tactical switch was made: defensive midfielder Andrich was substituted for Hoffenheim’s speedy young forward, Max Beier.
On the Swiss bench, Murat Yakin was also adjusting his lineup. He withdrew Embolo, Ndoye, and Rieder, the formidable front trio that commenced the match.
Whilst many had anticipated a robust Swiss defence against the German offensive, the game diverged from expectations. The Swiss team maintained their counter-attacking prowess and began to take their game into German territory, leaving the newly formed German midfield duo of Gundogan (33) and Kroos (34) grappling for ball possession.
Wirtz setup a potential opportunity for Kimmich that was effortlessly thwarted by a brilliant tackle from Manuel Akanji, prior to Nagelsmann’s final substitution: the towering Niclas Füllkrug for Musiala, and Leroy Sané for Wirtz. A hopeful volley from Sané missed the mark and he later crumbled, anticipating a spot kick.
Yet, it was the Swiss team who next found the back of the net, as Ruben Vargas dashed down the left wing and fired a ground shot past Neuer, only to have the joy dampened by an offside flag. Just before full time, the Swiss defence stood firm, neutralising Havertz and setting up another counter strike, culminating in an Xhaka attempt that was deflected by Neuer.
The situation looked dire for Germany, until a no-nonsense goal from Füllkrug brought relief. Raum delivered a cross from the left, and Füllkrug rose to glance a header into the top corner of the net. Germany’s next match will take place at Füllkrug’s home pitch at Dortmund, while the Swiss team will head to Berlin.
On current form, Switzerland promises to be a tough challenger for any side. Their uncanny 6-1 thumping by Portugal in the second round in Qatar remains one of the most peculiar international outcomes in recent history. They’ve developed into a remarkably consistent tournament team and the objective moving forward is to mirror the success of teams like Portugal and Croatia and make a run to the final. After all, if you’re capable of defeating France, as they managed in 2021, and nearly overcame Germany on home soil, then why not aim for the summit?