It’s also possible without Joachim Löw: under the strict eyes of his teacher in front of the television, ten-day national coach Marcus Sorg and the German national team have delivered the universally expected compulsory victory. Sorg led the DFB team on Saturday to a 2-0 (1:0) victory in Belarus and thus to the second victory in the second game of the qualification for the European Championship 2020.
The 53-year-old will also be in charge on Tuesday (8.45 p.m.) in Mainz against pointless Estonia: His boss Löw has to spare himself further because of an arterial contusion as a result of a sports accident. However, the world champion coach does not need to worry much – his team did their job in Borisov confidently, albeit without excessive playfulness. Anyway, after the 3:2 first win in the Netherlands, there are hardly any doubts about the ticket for the European Championship.
The leading goal of Leroy Sane (12th) after strong pressing was an early signal. Sorg applauded contentedly standing. Afterwards the inspiration in the German attack diminished, but the 71st victory in the 100th European Championship qualification game was still absolutely deserved. Marco Reus (62nd) scored the 2:0 after a clever presentation by Matthias Ginter.
Löw experienced something new on the 4715th day of his tenure. For the first time in 13 years, the national coach watched his team’s match only on television. In daily telephone conversations, he had sworn care for tactics and opponents – and devised a surprise: The solid Jonathan Tah defended unexpectedly at the side of Niklas Süle and Ginter in the triple. Lukas Klostermann (right) and Nico Schulz (left) stood very high on the outer positions.
Sorg came on his “very special day” in sneakers and with a dark polo shirt two minutes after his team into the small, futuristic arena. He embraced the former national coach Jürgen Klinsmann, who interviewed him at RTL. “Of course, Joachim Löw had the last word on the line-up,” reported Sorg, announcing “high speed” and dominance from the very first minute.
That’s how it happened. The Belarusian bar was to be cracked with joy and quick pushes into the depths, with possession of the ball all players were deep in the opposing half except for goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Serge Gnabry and Klostermann failed with their first big double chance (9th), Reus narrowly missed the goal (11th) – then Sane scored his fourth international goal.
Then the clear favourite let the reins slip for five minutes. Klostermann had to save at the last moment against Stanislaw Drahun (29.), then Neuer steered a header from Nikita Naumow (30.) over the crossbar and dribbled risky but skilfully at the corner flag shortly afterwards. Strippenzieher Ilkay Gündogan and Joshua Kimmich, who had prepared the 1:0, finished the only short problem phase in the game with good shot chances (35./42).
Against nine defensive players in two chains patience was also required after the break. Germany played like a handball around the penalty area, Belarus gave escort protection and then slid powerfully in between, so also on occasions of Sane (48.) and Klostermann (54.). As soon as they conquered, the technically limited hosts pushed the ball forward long and high without having any effect. With the second goal, the game was almost over, further goals would have been possible (Gnabry, 66th /Sane, 83rd, post).
After exhausting months, the German national players are still 90 minutes away from the holidays. After the Estonian game, it’s finally time for a summer holiday – but not for Tah and Klostermann: They’ll be playing the U21 European Championship in Italy and San Marino from 17 June.
