Germany suffers a 2-0 defeat in their opening World Cup qualifying match against Slovakia
Slovakia claimed a shock victory over Germany in a World Cup qualifier, marking the first time the German national team has lost to Slovakia in a competitive fixture.
The match, played in Slovakia, started with Germany missing key players due to injuries. Absent were Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Tim Kleindienst, and starting striker Niclas Fuellkrug. Despite this, Germany dominated possession in the first half, but Slovakia managed to keep a clean sheet, failing to convert their chances.
The tide turned in the 42nd minute when David Hancko scored for Slovakia, giving them the lead going into halftime. The second half saw a more aggressive approach from Germany, but they struggled to create meaningful chances in attack.
Germany's problems were evident as they were toothless up front and disorganised at the back. Leon Goretzka missed a one-on-one opportunity for Germany in the second half, a missed chance that encapsulated their struggles in front of goal.
Slovakia doubled their lead on 55 minutes through David Strelec, who cut back for Hancko to score past Oliver Baumann. The second goal seemed to deflate Germany, and they were unable to mount a comeback.
The loss was Germany's first away defeat in a World Cup qualifier and their fourth in total after defeats to Portugal in 1985, England in 2001, and North Macedonia in 2021. The defeat will increase pressure on coach Julian Nagelsmann and Germany, who are just under a year away from the next World Cup tournament.
Germany's defender, Jonathan Tah, admitted that they were the worst team in all phases of the match. Nick Woltemade, who made his debut for Germany just days after his move to Newcastle United, was named as a substitute for Fuellkrug.
Slovakia, ranked 52 in the world, showed resilience and discipline, outplaying the higher-ranked German team. Slovakia's Leo Sauer had a lot of space to run into in the first half as Germany was overrun.
The loss is a significant setback for Germany, who will need to improve quickly ahead of their next qualifier at home against Northern Ireland. As of 2025, Julian Nagelsmann remains the coach of the German national football team; no national team has taken over his role in 2025.
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