Germany’s friendly match against Ukraine ended in a 0-0 draw, disappointing the host country’s fans who were looking for a strong performance less than two weeks before the start of Euro 2024. Despite dominating possession, Germany struggled to break down a resilient Ukraine defense. The absence of key players like Toni Kroos and Antonio Ruediger forced coach Julian Nagelsmann to make changes, with Pascal Gross stepping up to fill in for Kroos in midfield. The defense looked solid, but the attack lacked a cutting edge, with Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz struggling to make an impact.
Despite creating several chances, Germany were unable to find the back of the net, with Ilkay Guendogan missing a golden opportunity in the first half. The closest they came to scoring was when Maximilian Beier hit the post with a well-timed shot from Robert Andrich’s pass. Ukraine’s goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin made a number of important saves to keep the hosts at bay. The result will be a confidence boost for Ukraine as they prepare for a tough group at the European Championship, which includes Romania, Slovakia, and Belgium.
While there were some positives to take from the match for Nagelsmann, such as the performances of Gross and Andrich, the lack of goals raises questions ahead of Germany’s final warm-up game against Greece. With tough fixtures against Hungary and Switzerland following their opener against Scotland, Germany will need to find their scoring touch if they are to have a successful tournament. The fans will be hoping for an improved display in their next match as the team looks to build momentum heading into Euro 2024.
