Germany’s preparations for Euro 2024 continue to stumble with defeat to Turkey

By Sports Desk November 18, 2023

Germany slipped to a thrilling 3-2 defeat to Turkey as Julian Nagelsmann saw his side’s stuttering build up to Euro 2024 continue.

The 36-year-old lost his first game as Germany manager after Yusuf Sari’s second-half penalty won it for the visitors.

Kai Havertz gave the hosts an early lead in the friendly, but Ferdi Kadioglu and Kenan Yildiz gave Turkey a 2-1 half time advantage.

Niclas Fullkrug’s 10th goal in 12 games for his country levelled soon after the break at the Olympiastadion.

Hansi Flick was sacked just nine months before next year’s home European Championship with Nagelsmann attempting to pick up the pieces.

A win over the USA and a draw with Mexico in his first games last month would have given him food for thought.

His early tenure looked to be going well on Saturday when Arsenal’s Havertz, playing in an unfamiliar left-back role, opened the scoring after six minutes when he fired in from Leroy Sane’s cutback.

But Turkey, who have already qualified, refused to crumble and Yusuf Yazici and Yildiz went close, either side of Sane shooting wide for Germany.

Yazici had a shot blocked before Turkey levelled when Kadioglu rifled past Kevin Trapp after losing Sane and they went into the break ahead when Yildiz rammed in at the far post in first-half stoppage time.

Germany, without the injured Jamal Musiala, Emre Can and Christian Gunter, came out fighting in the second half and were level five minutes after the restart.

The hosts hit Turkey on the break and Florian Wirtz supplied Fullkrug to drill in low to equalise in Berlin.

But the visitors almost regained the lead immediately when Dortmund midfielder Salih Ozcan hit a post.

The relentless pace continued and captain Ilkay Gundogan had a shot blocked on the hour before Turkey took the lead for a second time.

A VAR check was needed to confirm a handball by Havertz in the area and Sari buried the penalty with 19 minutes remaining.

Serge Gnabry came close to a leveller with three minutes left but he was unable to get the final touch on Benjamin Henrichs’ cross.

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