The historic loss to Greece has left the DFB team frustrated. Bayern star Jonathan Tah subsequently pointed out clear shortcomings.
The German national team suffered a bitter setback in Jürgen Klopp’s home debut. Following a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, the DFB team lost 0-1 to Greece and is still waiting for its first win even after the second game under the new head coach.
What makes it particularly bitter: It was Germany’s first-ever loss to Greece. Prior to this, the German national team had remained unbeaten in ten meetings.
Jonathan Tah refused to sugarcoat the result afterward. The FC Bayern center back saw clear shortcomings in his team’s play despite Germany’s dominance on the field.
“It wasn’t an easy game. To be honest, we just didn’t play well enough. We had chances, yes, and if we’d capitalized on them, things would have looked different,” Tah explained on ARD.
Although Germany had significantly more possession for long stretches, they rarely found their way into dangerous scoring positions against the Greeks’ compact defense.
Tah laments a lack of courage and threat in the final third
That’s exactly where Tah focused his criticism: “But we could have been more dominant with the ball. We didn’t take advantage of what they gave us. And then they got their counterattacking chances and capitalized on one of them,” the 30-year-old analyzed.
The decisive goal came in the 74th minute. Dimitrios Kourbelis scored to make it 1–0 with a shot deflected by Joshua Kimmich. Germany was unable to respond after that.
Tah felt his team lacked consistency, especially around the opponent’s penalty area: “We shouldn’t lack courage. I think, in the end, we simply didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we were given,” emphasized the Bayern star.
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He then got even more specific: “We didn’t threaten the box enough, didn’t cross enough, and didn’t shoot from the second line often enough. And then it gets tough, because they’re not a bad opponent—they have good players, some of whom even play for top international clubs.”
Tah also understands the fans’ frustration over the lackluster performance: “We’re disappointed and upset when we lose a game. That will always be the case, just like the appreciation we have for the fans’ support. If we don’t play well, then it’s clear that not everyone will be happy.”
While Tah is wrapping up the DFB training camp after the first week, Klopp is now continuing his extensive scouting phase with a largely new roster. The German team is expected to bounce back against Serbia and then again against Greece.