Germany Stunned by Slovakia in World Cup Qualifier

Bratislava: In a stunning turn of events, the German national team, a powerhouse with four World Cup titles, experienced their first-ever away defeat in a World Cup qualifying match. This upset occurred against Slovakia, who secured a 2-0 victory in their initial qualifying game for the 2026 tournament on Thursday.

The German squad, aiming for victory in the 2026 World Cup, had previously maintained an undefeated record in away World Cup qualifiers. This loss marks their third consecutive defeat, following previous losses to Portugal and France in the Nations League this past June.

“Our performance lacked emotional engagement. Our rivals surpassed us significantly in this aspect,” commented Germany’s head coach, Julian Nagelsmann. “Our aspiration is to compete in the World Cup, but our performance today fell considerably short of that standard.

“I am looking for that passion. While we selected the most skilled players available in Germany, perhaps we need to prioritize players who demonstrate unwavering dedication, even if it means sacrificing some quality.”

Since their World Cup win in 2014, the Germans have struggled to make a significant impact in major international competitions.

Early in the match, Nagelsmann’s squad found themselves under pressure when Lubomir Satka of Slovakia missed a crucial opportunity in the opening moments. Subsequently, German goalkeeper Oliver Baumann made an impressive save against Leo Sauer in a one-on-one situation in the 21st minute, serving as a warning that the visitors failed to heed.

Slovakia’s attacking efforts were rewarded in the 42nd minute when Florian Wirtz of Germany lost possession, leading to a swift counter-attack by the home team, which David Hanchko expertly finished.

After a lackluster first half, Germany displayed increased aggression after halftime, with Leon Goretzka coming close to scoring. However, Slovakia capitalized against the run of play when David Strelec deceived defender Antonio Ruediger with a clever move before scoring past Baumann in the 55th minute.

“The initial minutes of the second half showed promise, but the subsequent performance was quite disappointing,” Nagelsmann stated.

“I have confidence in my team, but they must recognize that possessing superior skills alone is insufficient without demonstrating commitment and eagerness. Achieving success with a restrained approach is impossible.”

Having been eliminated in the group stage of the last two World Cups, the Germans struggled to launch a significant comeback, lacking both creativity and attacking power.

Slovakia’s next Group A match is an away game against Luxembourg on Sunday, while Germany will host Northern Ireland.