Turkey stun Euro 2024 hosts Germany, spoil Julian Nagelsmann's ...

BERLIN – A late Yusuf Sari penalty took Turkey to a 3-2 win over Germany in Berlin on Nov 18, giving home coach Julian Nagelsmann plenty to ponder seven months from hosting Euro 2024.

“We should have finished off the game in the first 10 minutes,” said Nagelsmann. “But from the 25th minute and until the break, we did not do much.

“We have to keep playing at the same level, every player has to do it. Then that quality will come through in the games.”

Lightning fast in attack, dogged in defence and buoyed on by a deafening crowd in the away friendly, Turkey posed constant questions for Germany.

Kai Havertz gave Germany the lead after just five minutes but Turkey headed into half-time in front, after two late goals from Ferdi Kadioglu and Kenan Yildiz.

Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Fullkrug equalised shortly after the break but Turkey would have the final say, Sari slamming in a penalty to secure victory.

“We were too lethargic, too passive, not purposeful enough and didn’t move well in possession” Ilkay Gundogan, the first Turkish-German to captain Germany, told RTL.

“We didn’t generate the pressure against the ball that we wanted,” he added.

Visiting coach Vincenzo Montella’s prediction of a “home” atmosphere was spot on, with the vast majority of the 72,592 fans at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium drenched in red.

Around three million people of Turkish origin live in Germany, many in the capital.

The hosts’ pre-match starting line-up announcement was greeted with boos, as was every touch by anyone in black and white in the opening minutes.

Handed a start in the unfamiliar position of left-back, Arsenal forward Havertz repaid his coach’s faith almost immediately, tapping in a Leroy Sane pass just five minutes in.

Havertz’s goal failed to silence the Turkish fans, who were rewarded with a two-goal burst late in the first half.

Abdulkerim Bardakci found Kadioglu with a long pass, the Fenerbahce midfielder hammering a brutal shot past a helpless Kevin Trapp.

Turkey’s second was a carbon copy of the original, with a cross finding Germany-born Yildiz, whose powerful shot bounced off the crossbar and the post before landing in the net.

Immediately after the break, Florian Wirtz carved through the middle of the field and found Fullkrug, the Borussia Dortmund striker taking a touch before hammering in a low shot.

Fullkrug, who made his international debut at the age of 29 after spending much of his career outside the first division, now has 10 goals in his 12 Germany appearances.

With 20 minutes remaining, the video assistant referee spotted a Havertz handball in the box. Sari stepped up to the spot and converted, sending the stadium into raptures.

The result, in Nagelsmann’s first match on home soil and third overall game, shows Germany remain in transition just seven months away from hosting Euro 2024.

Germany have now won just three of 10 matches since their group-stage exit at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

Die Mannschaft had not lost to Turkey for more than 18 years – and not on home soil since 1951. AFP, REUTERS