Germany (National Football)

Joachim Low's new-look Germany side drew 1-1 with Serbia in an international friendly on Wednesday in Wolfsburg.

The hosts went behind after 12 minutes through Luka Jovic's first international goal for Serbia. A corner in from Adem Ljajic found its way to an unmarked Jovic to head past Manuel Neuer.

Timo Werner had Germany's best chance in the opening 45 minutes but was denied by a brilliant save from goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic from close range.

Serbia were unfortunate not to extend their lead in the first half. Ljajic and Nikola Milenkovic both wasted good chances, and Germany were whistled off by home fans at half-time.

Low sent on Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Marco Reus on for the second half, and Germany put in an improved showing and forced Dmitrovic into a number of good saves.

Nikola Maksimovic also made a brilliant goalline clearance from Ilkay Gundogan after the Manchester City midfielder had rounded the goalkeeper.

Germany finally got the equaliser they deserved on 69 minutes. Substitute Leon Goretzka curled the ball past Dmitrovic from inside the penalty area to rescue a draw.

Serbia finished the game with 10 men after Milan Pavkov was sent off for a poor challenge on Leroy Sane in stoppage time.

    

Low Will Regret Ditching Hummels and Boateng

Low caused a stir by announcing Bayern Munich trio Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels were no longer in his plans ahead of the match.

The 59-year-old is keen on a fresh approach after a disappointing 2018 and named a youthful team against Serbia:

Our first starting XI of 2019! 🇩🇪🇷🇸#DieMannschaft #GERSRB pic.twitter.com/KI8jvV4EZ6

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) March 20, 2019

However, the game showed his decision to dispense with Hummels and Boateng may be premature and likely will be one he comes to regret.

Jonathan Tah and Niklas Sule lined up in central defence against Serbia and put in a less-than-convincing display, as Serbia were able to create plenty of chances.

Sule was nowhere to be seen on 12 minutes when Jovic was left all alone in the penalty area to head home the opener.

The visitors should have had more goals too but were let down by some poor finishing in front of goal, and the home supporters made their frustrations plain at the break:

HT: 🇩🇪 0 - 1 🇷🇸

Boos ring out around the Volkswagen Arena as the half-time whistle is blown. Can #Germany turn this around? #Football #GERSRB pic.twitter.com/GGObdEl5wI

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) March 20, 2019

Low should be concerned by his team's defensive shortcoming against Serbia ahead of their opening Euro 2020 game against the Netherlands.

Germany failed to beat Ronald Koeman's side in two UEFA Nations League games in 2018, and the Dutch will fancy their chances against a German team lacking experience and authority in defence.

   

Luka Jovic Shows He's the Real Deal

Serbia striker Jovic has attracted plenty of speculation over his future after a superb campaign on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt, where he's scored 22 goals in all competitions for the club this season.

La Liga champions Barcelona are preparing a €50 million (£43 million) bid for the 21-year-old, according to the Guardian's Fabrizio Romano.

Jovic showed what all the hype is about against Germany with his first international goal:

1 - @eintracht_us Frankfurt's Luka #Jovic scored his first goal for #Serbia with his first touch in the game. Star. #GERSRB pic.twitter.com/brJoVpFcSB

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) March 20, 2019

The striker needed only 12 minutes to score with a well-directed header that left Neuer with no chance.

He might have had a second midway through the first half but was denied by a crucial block by Lukas Klostermann.

Jovic also offers more than just goals. His passing and movement caused problems, and he showed how difficult he is to shrug off the ball.

Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic has likened Jovic to Barcelona's Luis Suarez:

Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic on Luka Jovic: “He’s a classic goal-getter with great control of the ball and a good understanding of the game. I’d probably compare him to Luis Suarez.” pic.twitter.com/w9L3DYpUEn

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) March 19, 2019

Jovic showed against Germany he's quite at home on the international stage, and his performance will surely fuel further interest in the striker ahead of the summer transfer window.

       

What's Next?

Germany open their 2020 European Championship qualifying campaign on Sunday against the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Serbia are in action a day later, they play their first game of the tournament away to defending champions Portugal.

Germany welcome Serbia in an international friendly on Wednesday, with the hosts ringing the changes after the omission of several senior players.

Die Mannschaft manager Joachim Low faces two matches in quick succession, and he has announced he will no longer select Bayern Munich stars Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng for his squads.

Instead, a number of young prospects have been included, with Lukas Klostermann and Niklas Stark in line for their first senior caps.

Serbia will field a side packed with energy and experience, and they will offer the new-look Germany a stiff test at the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg.

                        

Date: Wednesday, March 20

Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/3:45 p.m. ET

TV Info: Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Mix (UK); ESPN3, Univision (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK); WatchESPN, Univision NOW (U.S.)

Odds: Germany: 4-9, Serbia: 7-1, draw: 39-10

(Odds via Oddschecker)

                               

Preview

Low has taken the brave step of multiple changes as he attempts to relight the fire in the German camp.

After effectively ending the international careers of three of his regular squad members, the coach has put his faith in some of the country's burgeoning starlets.

Leroy Sane failed to make the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup after an outstanding campaign for Manchester City last term, but the forward is likely to be handed a regular starting role from now on.

The Bundesliga is full of youngsters chomping at the bit, and the time has come for a number of them to make the step up.

According to Karolos Grohmann of Reuters (via MailOnline), Low explained his thinking for the four-time world champions:

"We now face a new time, a new challenge. I have to give the team the feeling that we fully trust them. We have to give them the chance to develop, take over more responsibilities and also during a rough patch offer them solutions when they make mistakes so they have the trust to go into the next months."

Germany were humbled in Russia last summer, as they failed to make it out of the group stage. This was followed up by relegation in the UEFA Nations League.

Low has held on to his job during these difficult times, and the 59-year-old has come up with a progressive selection to combat the team's malaise.

Serbia arrive in Lower Saxony in fine fettle. The Eagles are unbeaten in their last six outings in the Nations League and have registered three clean sheets.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has developed into one of the most talented all-round midfielders in Europe, but he has struggled to recreate his best since the World Cup.

The Lazio star has scored just three goals and provided three assists in Serie A and Europe this term.

Despite saying goodbye to household names, Germany are well-placed to overturn their recent slump.

Low is lucky to have several young players who could develop into world-class entities before the next qualification period for the 2022 World Cup.

The upcoming 2020 European Championship campaign will be a testing time for the Germans, but the growing pains will be essential during the latest transition.

Germany begin their Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Sunday.

Germany manager Joachim Low has said he wants to convey a feeling of trust in his players after he axed Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels from the side. 

The World Cup-winning trio from 2014 were told earlier in March they will not feature under him again:

📰 @esmuellert_, @matshummels and @JB17Official have been told by Joachim #Löw today that they are no longer part of his #DieMannschaft plans 👉 https://t.co/YEoV67h6vz pic.twitter.com/KAItK9h5Jq

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) March 5, 2019

Per Reuters' Karolos Grohmann (via MailOnline), Low said:

"We are now face a new time, a new challenge. I have to give the team the feeling that we fully trust them.

"We have to give them the chance to develop, take over more responsibilities and also during a rough patch offer them solutions when they make mistakes so they have the trust to go into the next months."

Die Mannschaft take on Serbia in a friendly on Wednesday before facing the Netherlands in a 2020 UEFA European Championship qualifier on Sunday.

Germany are hoping to get 2019 off to a positive start after a disastrous 2018. Having failed to make it out of their group at the FIFA World Cup in Russia, they were relegated from their UEFA Nations League group, collecting just two points from four matches against France and the Netherlands.

Low detailed what he is hoping to see from his players this year:

"What is important is to have more tempo, more dynamism, more focus up front.

"I know how to deal with pressure. I can feel what it means in the current position. We have learned from setbacks. We now need to have a completely different attitude from the year 2018."

To that end, he has named a new-look squad packed with young talent, per Scouted Football:

Three of the above are debutants in Jogi Löw's senior squad:

🇩🇪 Maximilian Eggestein
🇩🇪 Lukas Klostermann
🇩🇪 Niklas Stark

They've made over 240 Bundesliga appearances in total, and have 96 youth team caps between them. pic.twitter.com/5AEhcX19oe

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) March 16, 2019

Muller is only 29, while Boateng and Hummels are 30, so it seemed a little harsh to potentially end their international careers entirely.

Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren disagreed with the decision:

https://twitter.com/ReverschPass/status/1103374172842016768

The trio could still return to the Germany setup if a new manager takes over at some point, but until then Germany will be moving on without three of their biggest stars.

While they alone were not responsible for the national side's failings last year, the break does afford some younger players the opportunity to freshen things up.

The Netherlands took four points off Germany in the Nations League, so they're a tough opponent to begin their qualifying campaign against.

Die Mannschaft will need to take full advantage of their friendly against Serbia to find a new rhythm ahead of Sunday's match.

Germany manager Joachim Low has announced Bayern Munich trio Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels are no longer in his plans.

Speaking ahead of the upcoming international break in late March, Lowe confirmed he is ready to initiate a "new beginning" for his side.

According to the German Football Association's official website, the coach said he would now put his faith in the country's next generation of talent in the squad for the friendly with Serbia (March 20) and 2020 UEFA European Championships qualifier against the Netherlands (March 24).

"2019 is a new beginning for the Germany national team. It was important for me to personally explain my decision to the players and the FC Bayern management.

[...]

"Now it's time to set the course for the future. We want to give the team a new look. I am convinced that this is the right step. The youngsters coming through will have the room they need to grow. Now it's up to them to take on responsibility."

The decision to exclude 29-year-old Muller from future squads will have been a tough choice. However, the forward has only found the net six times for his club in 32 appearances this season

Boetang and Hummels are both 30 and remain regulars at Bayern, but the pair have been short of their best in the Bundesliga this term.

DFB president Reinhard Grindel supported Low's vision for the future: "I appreciate that Joachim wants to carry on changing the shape of the national side. Making personnel changes at the start of the qualifying phase for EURO 2020 is the right time."

The sweeping changes will open the door for burgeoning talent, with Kai Havertz of Bayer Leverkusen potentially to be given a starring role.

The 19-year-old would add versatility in attack and has impressed in the Bundesliga this season.

Paris Saint-Germain defender Thilo Kehrer could also benefit from Low's decision. The 22-year-old joined the French champions from Schalke 04 in the summer and made his Germany debut in 2018.

The Netherlands booked their place in the UEFA Nations League finals next summer, as they dramatically drew with Germany 2-2 on Monday at Veltins-Arena.  

Despite having already been relegated from League A Group 1, Germany started with the greater intent and were ahead after nine minutes following Timo Werner's brilliant long-range strike; 10 minutes later, their lead was doubled, as Leroy Sane's deflected shot squirmed past Jasper Cillessen.

The Dutch needed to get back on level terms in order to finish top of the group and they set up an interesting finish when Quincy Promes curled a fine effort beyond Manuel Neuer with six minutes remaining. It was then left to Virgil van Dijk, flung forward as an emergency centre-forward, to equalise in stoppage time with a thumping volley.

This remarkable result for the Netherlands means they join England, Portugal and Switzerland in the final four of the Nations League in June.

     

New Formation Will Rejuvenate Germany in 2019 Despite Growing Pains

After being eliminated at the World Cup group stage and then relegated before their final game of the Nations League, 2018 has been a year to forget for Germany. However, manager Joachim Low appears to have stumbled on something encouraging in his new 3-4-3 system.

In the last two matches—they beat Russia 3-0 on Thursday—the Germans have looked a lot more comfortable, with the three-man defence providing extra stability and giving license to the attackers to operate with freedom.

Werner was a livewire throughout and opened the scoring with this piece of brilliance:

¡GOOOOOOOOOOOL!

Werneeeeeeer ⚽️

GER 🇩🇪1-0 NED🇳🇱 #NationsLeague
EN VIVO 🔴 https://t.co/q7nTT13bB5 pic.twitter.com/Qs5TmhkPSJ

— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) November 19, 2018

Sane, in particular, appears to be benefitting from the new formation, as he excelled at the home of his former side, Schalke:

Leroy Sane has now scored 2️⃣ goals in his last 2️⃣ apps for Germany after failing to score in his first 1️⃣5️⃣ apps 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/EOJvsSO2YH

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) November 19, 2018

Werner, Sane and Serge Gnabry were electric throughout, with their slick interchanges causing major issues for the Dutch defensive pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs De Ligt.

With that attacking trio, Joshua Kimmich alongside Toni Kroos in midfield and Niklas Sule and Antonio Rudiger flanking Mats Hummels at the back, there was a refreshing look to this Germany team, at least before their late collapse.

   

Koeman Silences his Critics with Dutch Resurgence

It'd be fair to say that prior to Ronald Koeman taking over the Dutch national team, recent versions of the Oranje would have crumbled if they found themselves 2-0 down to Germany so early on.

The manner in which they continued pressing and believing throughout the game was a testament to the belief the team has gathered since his appointment. Sport Witness noted there's a running trend of late comebacks in this competition: 

Nations League. It’s all about the drama. https://t.co/3AU86RdYFo

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) November 19, 2018

In Van Dijk, they have a defender and captain who appears to relish the big occasion too: 

2 - Virgil van Dijk has scored with both of his shots on target in the Nations League, both coming v Germany. Hero. pic.twitter.com/ZEmp5N4pjI

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 19, 2018

The job Koeman has done can only be put into proper context when you look at the string of recent results put together by this team. To qualify top of a Nations League group containing the last two world champions is a remarkable achievement on the team's part.

Before grabbing a brilliant draw in Germany—they also beat Low's side 3-0 earlier in the competition—the Netherlands comfortably beat France 2-0 on Friday, drew against Italy away from home and hammered European champions Portugal 3-0 on the road.

After being sacked by Everton in 2017, some eyebrows were raised when Koeman was appointed as the man to pull Netherlands out of a crisis, having missed out on the last two major tournaments. Already the manager has made major strides towards silencing any critics.

                 

What's next?

Thoughts will now turn to 2019 for both sides, with this the last match of the calendar year for the pair. No friendlies have been scheduled for next year yet, although the next international break in the domestic calendar is between March 18 and 26.

The Netherlands will qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals if they can avoid defeat at the hands of Germany in Gelsenkirchen on Monday.

The Oranje relegated the Germans with a surprise 2-0 victory over France in Rotterdam on Friday, which moved them one point behind the world champions with one game remaining.

A win at the Veltins-Arena would see them leapfrog Les Bleus at the top of League A Group 1, but a draw would also be enough as they have a better goal difference than the French.

                                 

Date: Monday, November 19

Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET

TV: Sky Sports Football (UK), Univision Deportes (USA)

Live Stream: Sky Go, Univision NOW

Odds: Germany (10-11), Draw (14-5), Netherlands (10-3)

Odds courtesy of Oddschecker.

                                 

When the UEFA Nations League groups were drawn, the Netherlands appeared to be the clear favourites to go down with France and Germany set to battle it out for top spot.

After the Oranje lost 2-1 to France in their opening match it looked as though that might be the case, but they've turned things around with back-to-back home wins against Die Mannschaft and Les Bleus.

Football writer Robin Bairner felt the Netherlands were much better than France on Friday:

Full-time. Netherlands 2-0 France. Memphis added a late penalty to #Wijnaldum's earlier strike. Gini the man of the match. Dutch streets ahead of the world champions tonight. #NEDFRA

— Robin Bairner (@RBairner) November 16, 2018

The victory brought to an end France's 15-match unbeaten run, and the scoreline could have been much more one-sided had Hugo Lloris not produced a fine performance in goal.

Football writer Michiel Jongsma is impressed with how far the Netherlands have come in a short space of time:

https://twitter.com/JongsmaJongsma/status/1063543184234557440

One of the keys to their transformation has been the form of Memphis Depay, who has become a central figure for them in the final third, per OptaJohan:

58 - Memphis was directly involved in 58 attempts of the Netherlands in 2018 (34 shots, 24 chances created), at least 41 more than any other player (Quincy Promes 17). Leader. pic.twitter.com/rZ9lezvam0

— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) November 16, 2018

Depay also got on the scoresheet when the Netherlands beat Germany 3-0 in October, and he'll be a big threat to their back line on Monday.

The Germans have picked up just one point from their three Nations League matches as the hangover from their FIFA World Cup group-stage exit has continued.

They put in an encouraging performance against Russia in a 3-0 win on Thursday, though, per football writer Jonathan Harding:

https://twitter.com/JonBloggs66/status/1063158995966418944

With their relegation already sealed, Monday's result means relatively little to Die Mannschaft.

However, they'll be eager to continue their efforts in getting back on the right path with another good performance, so it's unlikely to be completely straightforward for the Netherlands.

Leroy Sane and Niklas Sule both scored their first international goals on Thursday, as Germany coasted to a 3-0 friendly win over Russia at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.  

Sane got the home side off to an excellent start when he converted from Serge Gnabry's pass after eight minutes. After 25 minutes, Sule was alive in the penalty area after coming forward for a corner and then four minutes before the break Gnabry gave Germany a three-goal advantage.

After the interval, the tempo of the game slowed significantly, as both managers made a flurry of changes; Aleksey Ionov squandered Russia's best chance, missing the target from close range. 

   

Sane, Gnabry Will Ignite Germany Attack After World Cup Failure

Germany boss Joachim Low left both Sane and Gnabry out of his squad for the World Cup in the summer, and the team was lifeless in attack as they suffered an embarrassing group stage exit.

On this evidence, the two wingers would've offered something different, as they tore into Russia time after time with their movement, intelligence on the ball and productivity in front of goal.

Gnabry, who set up the first goal and finished the second one, has shown tremendous composure at international level when chances come his way:

4 - @SergeGnabry has now scored 4 goals in his first 4 games for the @DFB_Team_EN - twice as many as German record goal scorer Miroslav #Klose in his first 4 games. Heir. #GERRUS pic.twitter.com/PlI0tDzznY

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) November 15, 2018

The shock omission in the summer was Sane though, and despite winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award last term he's not been an automatic starter for the national side. Toni Kroos was critical of his attitude earlier this season too, per Nick Ames of the Guardian.

Based on the performance in Leipzig the Manchester City man has taken some of that advice on board, as in this form he was too hot for the Russia defence to handle. He will now surely be a lot more significant part in Low's future plans.

   

Sule the Natural Successor to Hummels, Boateng in Defence

After tough spells for both Germany and Bayern Munich lately, there has been talk about a possible changing of the guard in defence, with Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels looking a little past their peak. Sule seems ready to step in for both club and country.

The centre-back not only scored the second goal, but he also appeared at ease in a fluid 3-4-3 system that Germany lined up in.

Per FCB Media's Cristian Nyari, the three-man defence utilised by Low, which had Sule at its heart, was working brilliantly:

Germany are absolutely killing it. This system is really working well for them.

— Cristian Nyari (@Cnyari) November 15, 2018

His club were pleased to see him get on the scoresheet also:

🇩🇪 A first international goal for Niklas Süle 🍻#GERRUS #FCBayern pic.twitter.com/GfFmGz58vt

— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 15, 2018

Now 23 years old, Sule has matured in his leadership on the field and in his overall defending. While not the most naturally mobile, he's also better suited to a fast-moving system than his older Bayern team-mates.

With Boateng left out of this squad because Low thought he needed a break from international football, Sule should get another chance to show what he can do in the upcoming match with the Netherlands.

  

What's next?

Germany are in competitive action on Monday, as they host the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League Group 1 contest. Russia play in the same competition, traveling to Sweden on Tuesday.

    

This article will be updated to provide more information soon.

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Joachim Low has hinted he could potentially leave his post as Germany manager in two years after UEFA Euro 2020 and has left the door open for a move to a Premier League club. 

The 58-year-old signed a new Germany deal to 2022 back in May before they endured a miserable World Cup campaign. But he has now cast doubt on his long-term future in the role, per Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN FC:

"The Premier League is always interesting, of course. A very good league. We will see. I can't say right now what will be in two years. I am responsible for the Germany national team, and it brings a lot of fun and motivation for me. In two years, we will see."

Low has been in charge of the Germany national team since 2006 and led them to FIFA World Cup glory in 2014.

They went into Russia 2018 as one of the favourites, but defeats to Mexico and South Korea saw them knocked out at the group stage for the first time in 80 years:

Germany's coming home ✈️ https://t.co/8lQymSxGDl

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 28, 2018

Low survived the humiliation and kept his position as Germany manager.

Barring the summer's calamity, his record as manager of Die Mannschaft is impressive. He oversaw a third-place finish at the 2010 World Cup, while Germany have never failed to reach at least the semi-finals of the European Championships during his tenure. 

His last club role was as manager of Austria Wien between 2003 and 2004, meaning any Premier League outfit may be wary of taking him on should he become available.

As a World Cup-winning manager, though, his reputation would likely ensure interest from high-profile clubs. Uersfeld noted Arsenal were interested in the German as a potential replacement for Arsene Wenger, but they opted to hire Unai Emery in May.

A late goal from Nico Schulz gave Germany a 2-1 friendly win over Peru on Sunday at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

The visitors stunned the home crowd by taking the lead midway through the first half. Christian Cueva took advantage of sloppy defending to play in Luis Advincula, who beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen at his near post.

Germany responded quickly and were level three minutes later. Toni Kroos found Julian Brandt, and he neatly chipped the ball past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

The hosts wasted plenty of chances to move ahead, but they finally got the winner in farcical fashion with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Peru twice failed to clear the ball, and it fell to Schulz to fire goalward. Gallese should have saved his shot, as it lacked power, but it somehow squirmed underneath his body and trickled into the back of the net.

  

Brandt Stakes Claim In Sane's Absence

Bayer Leverkusen winger Brandt will have made an impression after a lively showing.

The 22-year-old was bright in the opening stages, offering both pace and width as the hosts attacked Peru.

He also showed composure in front of goal with a well-taken equaliser. Kroos fed the Germany No. 10, and he calmly dinked the ball over goalkeeper Gallese.

It was just his second goal at international level:

Living up to the no.10 so far 👏 A lovely chip from @JulianBrandt for his second Germany goal ⚽#DieMannschaft #GERPER 1-1 pic.twitter.com/DnFT2RfL1V

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) September 9, 2018

Germany barely used Brandt at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was something of a surprise inclusion ahead of Leroy Sane but only saw 19 minutes of action, per WhoScored.com.

Joachim Low did recall Sane to his squad, but the Manchester City winger missed the game after the birth of his daughter: 

Special thank you to the @DFB_Team_EN and my coach Jogi Löw for letting me leave to be at my daughter's birth. Of course I'll keep my fingers crossed for the team tomorrow! #inSané

— Leroy Sané (@leroy_sane) September 8, 2018

It's unclear if Sane would have started the game after a difficult start to the season with City. Manager Pep Guardiola dropped him against Newcastle United and is concerned about his attitude, according to Goal's Sam Lee.

Meanwhile, Brandt appears to have taken full advantage of his chance and has given his international hopes a big boost with this display.

        

Ter Stegen Misses Big Chance to Impress

Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen has developed into one of Europe's best goalkeepers at the Camp Nou but has had to play second fiddle to Manuel Neuer internationally.

He was given his first start for Germany since a friendly against Saudi Arabia in June on Sunday but missed a big chance to impress.

Die Mannschaft defended poorly for Peru's opening goal, but Ter Stegen must take some of the blame as he was beaten at his near post.

Ter Stegen did not play a minute at the World Cup, as Neuer went straight back into the team despite missing almost the entire season with a foot injury.

The Barcelona goalkeeper said before the tournament it was a "disappointing situation" to not be first choice, per Marca. 

Neuer hardly covered himself in glory at the World Cup, as he was caught upfield during their defeat to South Korea.

However, on this evidence, Ter Stegen may have to get used to more disappointment at international level.

            

Germany Still Lacking a Clinical Finisher

Germany's need for a clinical finisher in attack was highlighted once again, as they missed a host of chances against Peru.

Opta noted how the team have shared the goals around:

8 - The last 8 @DFB_Team_EN goals have been scored by 8 different players. Unpredictable. #GERPER

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) September 9, 2018

The first half saw Marco Reus, Timo Werner and Matthias Ginter all miss good opportunities to find the back of the net.

Low tried to change things at half-time. He sent on Julian Draxler for Reus, but it was a similar story after the break.

Werner fired over the bar after being sent clean through by Brandt. Even Germany's Twitter account was unimpressed with the striker's finish:

Wonderful counterattack, less wonderful finishing sadly 😞 Timo #Werner can't keep his effort down, great ball from @JulianBrandt though 👌 (56')#DieMannschaft #GERPER 1-1 pic.twitter.com/qoqxOB3HNp

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) September 9, 2018

Nils Petersen was sent on and had a good opportunity but could not direct an effort on target after latching on to a loose ball. Thomas Muller also entered the fray in the closing stages, as Germany sought a winner.

The goal did eventually come, but it needed some awful defending for them to score. Twice Peru should have cleared the ball, while Gallese ought to have stopped Schulz's shot.

                     

What's Next?

Germany are back in action in October when they face UEFA Nations League fixtures against the Netherlands and France. Peru's next match is a home friendly against Chile on Thursday, October 11.

Germany will be without Leroy Sane for Sunday's international friendly against Peru after the Manchester City forward pulled out of the squad.

The 22-year-old, who was omitted from the group for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, won't feature because of "private reasons" after a conversation with coach Joachim Low.

The news was confirmed on Die Mannschaft's official Twitter account: 

Following discussions with head coach Joachim Löw, @LeroySane19 has left the team hotel in Munich for private reasons and will not be available for #GERPER. #DieMannschaft pic.twitter.com/rCgnqeHhIc

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) September 7, 2018

However, Sane's absence may not be due to an implied clash of personalities with his boss or any team-mates.

Goal's Ronan Murphy has offered a different explanation:

Leroy Sane has left the Germany squad to return to Manchester for “private reasons.”

It’s apparently to return home for the birth of his child, rather than some falling out with Joachim Löw like some people are claiming. #DFB #MCFC #DieMannschaft

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) September 7, 2018

The idea Sane is being frozen out is a contentious one since he featured during the 0-0 draw against World Cup holders France on Thursday. Sane came on as a late substitute in the UEFA Nations Group A1 stalemate.

Sane opting not to play this weekend comes after midfield playmaker Toni Kroos questioned the former Schalke star's temperament:

Ouch.

Toni Kroos is not convinced by Leroy Sane. pic.twitter.com/t70e1lZTaQ

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 5, 2018

Kroos' take may help explain why Low overlooked Sane this summer, despite the latter coming off a terrific season at club level. Sane earned the PFA Young Player of the Year award after helping City storm to the Premier League title, contributing 10 goals and 15 assists along the way.

Things haven't been plain sailing since, though. Sane found himself dropped for the Citizens' recent 2-1 win over Newcastle United. He also found his place under threat thanks to the arrival of Riyad Mahrez, who joined the champions at a cost of £60 million this summer.

MailOnline's Jack Gaughan said the decision to leave Sane out against the Magpies was based on "a dip in intensity at the club's training base."

Whatever the reason is for Sane's latest absence at international level, attention will remain on the young attacker as long as questions persist about his attitude. Only a return to the form shown last season by one of the most gifted players in City's squad will silence the doubters.

There's no doubt both City and Germany are better with Sane's direct pace, dynamic shooting and natural flair in their respective lineups.