Upset in Slovakia: Germany Faces World Cup Qualification Challenge
London, Sep 5 (AP) — Germany's quest for the 2026 World Cup took a serious hit after a surprising 2-0 defeat to Slovakia, marking the first time the German side has lost an away World Cup qualifier. David Hancko and David Strelec capitalized on defensive errors to give Slovakia—a team that hasn’t seen World Cup action since 2010—a significant lead. Despite determined efforts, Germany couldn’t break through the Slovak defense.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann's new lineup, including Newcastle's striker Nick Woltemade and 21-year-old debutant Nnamdi Collins at right back, failed to deliver. Nagelsmann expressed frustration over his team's lack of emotional intensity and questioned if relying less on technical skills in favor of dedication might yield better results. “Maybe we really do need to rely less on quality and instead on players who just give everything,” he remarked to ARD. Now, Germany must win its remaining five games to avoid playoffs.
Historically, Germany—or West Germany during the Cold War—has qualified for every World Cup since 1954. The defeat in Slovakia was only the fourth loss in World Cup qualifying history for Germany and the second occurring by more than one goal, the first being the infamous 5-1 home loss to England in 2001. The unexpected loss disrupted Germany's confidence, who planned a friendly with Ivory Coast assuming direct qualification, though that date coincides with second-place team playoffs. Germany's Group A campaign also included a 3-1 win by Northern Ireland over Luxembourg.
Spain, Turkey, and Poland in Action
European champions Spain started their qualifier strong with a 3-0 win over Bulgaria, led by Mikel Oyarzabal's early goal followed by strikes from Marc Cucurella and Mikel Merino. In a thrilling match, Turkey edged past Georgia 3-2 despite playing short-handed after Baris Alper Yilmaz received a red card shortly after entering the pitch.
The Netherlands' perfect streak ended in a 1-1 draw with Poland; Matty Cash's late equalizer thwarted the Dutch after Denzel Dumfries gave them the lead. Poland captain Robert Lewandowski returned after settling team disputes.
Lithuania and Malta also played to a 1-1 draw in Group G.
Belgium's Dominant Performance
Belgium demonstrated its prowess with a commanding 6-0 victory over Liechtenstein, highlighted by two goals from Youri Tielemans and a strong performance by Kevin de Bruyne. Meanwhile, Wales narrowly secured a 1-0 win against Kazakhstan to top Group J, despite having played two games more than third-place Belgium. Kazakhstan almost leveled the match in its closing moments.
(AP)
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