By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
Sometimes, there are games that on paper look like they are going
to live upto their potential but don’t produce the billing you hope for.
Germany vs. Poland in EURO 2016 certainly fits into that category.
The two teams met on Thursday evening at the Stade de France
with the hope that goals would be on the agenda. Between them, Poland’s Robert
Lewandowski and Thomas Müller of Germany had scored 50 Bundesliga goals for FC
Bayern München last season.
Neither ultimately threatened to get on the scoresheet and
that was the same for most of the players participating. The game turned into
an almost non-event that ended scoreless. After 18 games, EURO 2016 finally has
its first goalless match of the tournament. It will be quickly forgotten about.
Milik miss
For the second successive match, Lewandowski failed to get a
shot on target and looked a pale shadow of the man who had destroyed defences
all campaign in the German top-flight. His strike partner Arkadiusz Milik was
once again Poland’s main threat.
The Ajax frontman had scored the only goal on Sunday that
defeated Northern Ireland in the opening match for the Poles. He should have
added to that tally in Paris.
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| Arkadiusz Milik missed the best chance of a drab draw in Paris |
Seconds into the second half, Milik (pictured missing his chance) guided a header unbelievably
wide of the post from four yards out. Had he approached Kamil Grosicki’s cross
with his feet, he surely would have scored. It will go down as one of the
biggest misses of the entire competition.
He had another chance to redeem himself 20 minutes later,
but completely miskicked in the box when the ball sat up perfectly for him to
give Manuel Neuer some work to do. It is fair to say it wasn’t his best
evening.
Poland were the better side going forwards. They’ve only
beaten Germany once before in their entire history and that was in October 2014
in Warsaw. Whilst they will be happy with the point gained, there will be some
disappointment in the dressing room afterwards. The world champions were
definitely there for the taking.
Germans
lacking shape
After Sunday evening’s win over Ukraine, Joachim Low elected
to stick with the same attacking line-up for this match. He might need to shake
things up for the Germans final Group C encounter against Northern Ireland in
the Parc des Princes next Tuesday.
They lacked shape and any real cohesion. Once again, Mario Götze
played in a false no.9 role and for the second successive game; it didn’t work
for him. His role as a starter in the team is now surely in serious jeopardy.
Mario Gomez didn’t have enough time to make a significant impact from the
bench, whilst Müller seems to be playing in completely the wrong position.
It feels like Low doesn’t know his best line-up in the
attacking trio and it will need addressing if Germany want to end their trophy
drought in this competition, stretching back to the 1996 finals in England.
The main positives were another clean sheet and the
partnership in central defence between Jerome Boateng and the returning Mats
Hummels. Back from injury, Hummels slotted in as if he hadn’t been away, whilst
Boateng produced another big block to deny Lewandowski in the second half.
Ultimately, the result was good for both sides. Barring mathematical
freaks, both teams will qualify for the knockout rounds. It also means that
after their defeat in Lyon earlier in the day to Northern Ireland, Ukraine are
the first team to be eliminated from EURO 2016.
Nevertheless, this was a very poor show in Paris for the
80,000 fans watching. Sometimes, some games just never live upto their high
expectations.
My best
three players of the match
Man of the Match: Jerome Boateng (Germany)
He has had his doubters in the past, but Jerome Boateng is
starting to look a much better all-round defender. For the second successive
match, he made a vital clearance, this time to deny Lewandowski when he looked
certain to score. His decision making has definitely improved.
2nd: Kamil Grosicki (Poland)
Kamil Grosicki was one of Poland’s most threatening players
all evening. He managed to neutralise the Toni Kroos/Sami Khedira midfield
combination and put in a wonderful cross early in the second half which Milik
somehow managed to miss.
3rd: Mats Hummels (Germany)
Returning from the groin injury he has struggled with since
the DFB Cup final, Mats Hummels slotted straight back into the defence line with
no fuss whatsoever. He worked well with Boateng in the central defensive
partnership, was strong in the air and posed a threat from set-pieces.
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