World Cup: Germany gearing up to handle pressure in group opener against Japan

DOHA – Germany go into their World Cup Group E opener against Japan on Wednesday knowing that the match could potentially make or break their tournament hopes.

With 2010 champions Spain awaiting next, the Germans cannot afford any slip-up against the Japanese and risk a potential early exit again.

The four-time winners have arrived in Qatar with a new team following their 2018 group-stage shock elimination.

They have since changed their coach, a number of players and even dropped their official monicker Die Mannschaft.

Those four years since the Russian debacle – their earliest World Cup exit in more than 80 years – have been far from successful.

They were relegated from the Nations League in 2018 before rule changes kept them alive in the competition,.

They subsequently crashed out of the delayed Euro 2020 in the round of 16.

But with new coach Hansi Flick, who won six titles with Bayern Munich before taking over in 2021, the Germans are hoping to make another deep run in the tournament they last won in 2014 in Brazil.

“We’ve had good training sessions over the past few days, which are very good ahead of the first game,” said Flick on Tuesday. 

“We are going into this World Cup very positively because we are happy that it is finally starting.

“We are very positive about the tournament.

“We have to push ourselves to the limit in every game. You can expect that from the players.”

What he has yet to decide is whether he will deploy a forward such as the strong and tall Niclas Fullkrug against the Japanese or opt for moving a winger such as Kai Havertz into the No. 9 position.

Fullkrug has been sidelined in the past several days with the flu.

Despite winning nine of their 10 qualifiers, Germany have been unconvincing in attack in recent months and calls for the use of a natural target man have grown considerably louder.

Flick, meanwhile, confirmed on Tuesday that winger Leroy Sane has suffered a knee injury and is ruled out of the match.

“It’s sad that we have to do without Leroy tomorrow.,’‘ he added. “We hope he can play on Sunday (against Spain).”

The Japanese know more about Germany’s game than most other teams in the tournament, with no fewer than eight Germany-based players in their squad.

Japan veteran Yuto Nagatomo said those eight, who include Eintracht Frankfurt’s Europa League winner Daichi Kamada, were constantly feeding teammates information on their opponents.

“You don’t even have to ask – in the canteen or on the bus, you’re getting information from everywhere,” said Nagatomo.

Japan will no doubt have also seen Germany’s weakness in defence and their vulnerability against quick counter-attacks.

Their coach Hajime Moriyasu said that the Germans are his team’s “role models” but they also dream of winning the World Cup on their own merits.

“Germany have won the World Cup and that is our aim too,” he said.

“We are learning from Germany but we also want to compete on the world stage with the qualities that Japan has.

“We have to treat tomorrow’s game as if we are playing any other team and just do our best.”

Moriyasu added that his entire squad was available for selection and wants his team to play “with no regrets”.

“We have players in the Bundesliga, playing with or against the best players in the world,” he said.

“I want them to be confident when they play in tomorrow’s game.” REUTERS, AFP