Serbia hold ten-man tournament favourites Germany to 1-1 draw
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
ByEurosport
Updated 17/06/2015 at 21:57 GMT
Stadion Letna, Prague - Germany 1 (Can 17) Serbia 1 (Djuricic 8)
Emre Can of Germany ¨vies for a ball with Goran Caustic of Serbia during the UEFA Under21 European Championship 2015 football match between Germany and Serbia in Prague on June 17, 2015
Image credit: AFP
Emre Can rescued a point for ten-man Germany in a tight 1-1 draw with Serbia in their Group A opening fixture of the Euro U21 Championship.
The first half started with a bang as Serbia took the lead through Filip Djuricic with a magical piece of play. Germany hit back ten minutes later through Can but struggled to create any more chances or trouble Marko Dmitrovic in goal.
Germany came into the competition as tournament favourites but struggled to impose themselves on a very hard working but depleted Serbian side.
Horst Hrubesch will be disappointed with his team’s performance even before Christian Gunter got sent off in the second half having picked up a second yellow for a stupid and pointless dive.
Serbia will be extremely pleased with their performance against eleven men but when the Germans went down to ten, it seemed they were not sure whether to stick or twist and go for the win.
After Denmark’s victory over the Czech Republic earlier today, Group A is wide open and if Serbia can get a win against the Czechs in their next fixture, Germany will have it all to do in their final fixture, regardless of what happens against Denmark on Saturday.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/06/17/1617016-34337967-2560-1440.jpg)
Emre Can of Germany ¨vies for a ball with Goran Caustic of Serbia during the UEFA Under21 European Championship 2015 football match between Germany and Serbia in Prague on June 17, 2015
Image credit: AFP
KEY MOMENTS
8’ – GOAL! – Djuricic with superb play as he nutmegs Knocke and drives into the box where he gives Ter Stegen the eyes before finishing low into the opposite corner.
17’ – GOAL! – Germany equalise as they move the ball from left to right quickly to Volland. He’s in the box but can’t get his shot away and so lays it to Can on the edge of the area. He shapes to shoot with his left before cutting on to his right and placing it beautifully into the bottom corner.
27’ – CHANCE! – Loose pass from Leitner in the middle and Pesic intercepts. He lays it to Brasanac who first time hits the ball down the channel for Jojic. With just Knocke to beat to get into the box he turns on the pace and then tries to finish with his left foot as he breezes past but it just goes past the post.
43’ – CROSSBAR! - What a shot and what a save as Causic picks up the ball 40 yards out and lets fly with an effort headed to the back of the net. At the very last second Ter Stegen sticks out a paw and diverts the ball onto the crossbar. All round superb football.
57’ – CHANCE! – Volland with a deep cross from the right and finds Hoffman at the far post but he can’t direct a relatively easy header goalwards and it goes wide.
69’ – RED CARD! – Second yellow for Gunter as he dives over an outstretched leg. His theatrics as he went down did him no favours and the referee deservedly showed him the red card.
86’ – CHANCE! – Great determination from Bittencourt down the left to run off the pitch, ride two challenges and then pick out Volland in the middle. He controlled the ball instantly but the Serbian defenders were on him in a flash and able to block his goal-bound shot.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/06/17/1617017-34337987-2560-1440.jpg)
Germany's Amin Jounes (L) and Serbia's Filip Stojkovic vie for the ball during the UEFA Under21 European Championship 2015 football match between Germany and Serbia in Prague on June 17, 2015
Image credit: AFP
TALKING POINT
Can Germany win the tournament performing like this? In short, no. This was a very below par performance and Germany rarely found any rhythm to their play and struggled to break down a Serbia side missing many of their key players. Of course they have the quality to turn it around but they’ll need to improve drastically to get a result against Denmark on Saturday.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Filip Djuricic – The young attacking midfielder was brilliant. He scored the opener following a sublime bit of skill and was a menace for Germany to deal with throughout the game. He never stopped showing for the ball despite being kicked and battered every time he touched it.
PLAYER RATINGS
Germany – Ter Stegen 7, Korb 6, Ginter 6, Knoche 5, Günter 4, Can 7, Leitner 5, Volland 6, Meyer 5, Younes 7, Hofmann 5. Subs – Kimmich 6, Schulz 6, Bittencourt 7.
Serbia – Dmitrovic 7, Stojkovic 8, Spajic 7, Pantic 7, Petrovic 7, Causic 7, Brasanac 7, Jojic 7, Djuricic 8, Srnic 7, Pesic 7. Subs – Cavric 6, Milunovic 6.
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement