Germany secured a 2-1 victory in their final World Cup test match against hosts USA. On the right wing, Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann opted for Leroy Sane instead of the injured Lennart Karl. Let’s examine his performance and potential alternatives.
Lennart Karl had emerged as the personification of a new dawn for the German national team during their World Cup preparations. Young, bold, and ready to conquer the world, or at least the World Cup. The tragic injury to the 18-year-old prodigy from Bayern Munich, ruling him out of the tournament, is a significant blow and a mood killer for the DFB.
Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann had originally earmarked Karl for the starting eleven on the right flank and now faces a tactical reshuffle. In the final test against the USA, he fielded Sane, who could be seen as the embodiment of the past, a symbol of Germany’s struggles in recent tournaments.
Leroy Sane Scored the 2-1 Winner, But Also Showed Familiar Flaws
Despite his undeniable and long-standing qualities, Sane’s inconsistency has cost him considerable favor with the majority of German fans. In a Kicker poll before Nagelsmann’s squad announcement, around 60,000 readers voted for their preferred squad, and Sane didn’t even make the 26-man roster.
Nevertheless, Nagelsmann nominated the 30-year-old, citing his popularity within the squad and labeling him an ‘challenger’ given his mixed season at Galatasaray Istanbul. Following Karl’s injury, this role designation is now in the past. Against the USA, Sane was unexpectedly given the chance to stake his claim for a World Cup starting spot.
Did he succeed? Partly, due to his overall diligent effort and his winning goal for the 2-1. Or did he not? His performance until then was marred by wayward crosses and a free-kick from a promising position soaring over the bar. Ultimately, it was a classic Leroy Sane performance – one that left observers unsure of what to conclude.
It is now generally assumed that Sane will start in the opening World Cup match against Curacao on Sunday in Houston. But what alternatives does Nagelsmann actually have? The most obvious would be Jamie Leweling from VfB Stuttgart, who has already shown flashes of brilliance in his short DFB career. He was substituted on for Sane in the 72nd minute against the USA and provided a lively presence.
DFB Team: Kai Havertz Could Shift to the Right Wing
Another option would be to move the nominal center forward, Kai Havertz, to the right wing. The 26-year-old is in excellent form and has, in a way, become the new hope after Karl’s injury. This is also because Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, who are undisputed starters in the offensive, are still searching for their best form. Both were relatively subdued against the USA.
Havertz scored crucial goals for Arsenal towards the end of the season, in their championship-winning campaign and in the ultimately lost Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain last Saturday. This is why he missed the penultimate test match against Finland. Against the USA, Havertz started up front and scored the opening goal within two minutes, later providing a strong assist for Sane’s 2-1. Overall, Havertz appeared very mobile, dropping deep into midfield and drifting to the wings.
He has proven multiple times that he can also play effectively on the right wing. Nagelsmann deployed him there against Ghana during the March international break, where Havertz impressed and scored the winning penalty to make it 1-0. If he moves to the right wing, there would be space up front for Deniz Undav, who, in Havertz’s absence, was the match-winner in the 4-0 victory over Finland with three scorer points.
‘If you score two goals and provide one assist, you don’t get taken out of the team,’ Nagelsmann stated afterward. He could not make such a claim about Sane’s performance on Saturday evening. At best, he acknowledged a ‘good game’ for Sane. In any case, unlike Sane’s outing against the USA, Undav’s against Finland was a genuine application for a World Cup starting spot. His physicality would also add another dimension to Germany’s game, and his confident demeanor makes him a popular figure.
Brown, Schlotterbeck, and Nmecha Likely to Secure Their Starting Spots
One week before the World Cup kicks off, the competition for the fourth offensive position alongside Havertz, Wirtz, and Musiala is the only truly exciting one. Manuel Neuer is expected to replace Oliver Baumann in goal (who was again convincing against the USA) after recovering from calf problems.
For the other three positions, which were somewhat open at the start of preparation, there appear to be clear winners: Nathaniel Brown has displaced the established David Raum at left-back, Nico Schlotterbeck has established himself alongside Jonathan Tah ahead of Antonio Rüdiger, and Felix Nmecha has secured a spot next to Aleksandar Pavlovic over his Bayern Munich teammate Leon Goretzka.