The German goalscorer Niclas Füllkrug felt relieved and confident after the 1-1 draw in the second game of the German national team at the World Cup in Qatar. “We really wanted to draw this game. It was important that we get this point,” said Füllkrug on Sunday evening. “We now definitely have the opportunity to get through to the next round. We can now go into the last game with a good feeling and hope that everything will turn out well.”
Füllkrug’s teammates were enthusiastic about the Bremen player. “Get in great. That’s exactly why he’s there,” said Thomas Müller, who left the field for Füllkrug when the score was 0-1. “Of course he has already announced that in the last few days. He has great confidence and as you can see now, a real right hammer with his right foot. An incredible goal, he’s also an incredibly cool guy, I have to say.”
“You can tell by the goal what qualities he has. There’s no better way to shoot it. That was a brutally important goal for us,” said Ilkay Gündogan. Defense chief Antonio Rüdiger also stated: “Niclas came in and did his job and that’s what keeps us alive.”
National coach Hansi Flick also praised the filling pitcher. “That’s why he’s on the pitch. He scored ten goals in the Bundesliga. The determination with which he finished did us good today,” said Flick.
It’s really gigantic what the team did today. I’m really proud.
National coach Hansi Flick
Above all, Flick praised the overall performance of the team, which was heavily criticized after the bankruptcy in Japan. “It’s really gigantic what the team did today. I’m really proud. We met a team that is top footballer on an equal footing,” said Flick. “The mentality of the team was outstanding,” said the national coach. “Every football fan got their money’s worth today. Big compliment to the team”
“I think if we take this momentum with us, if we concentrate on the things that we’ve done well and get a little more self-confidence, then a lot can be possible,” said Flick. “But we have to work hard for that and we will work on that over the next three days.” Looking ahead to the last group game, Flick said: “We only took the first step, against Costa Rica we want to take the second step.”
Gündogan reported that his team had a “clear idea” of “how we want to defend it. In the end we had the better chances to score and can live with the point.”
From the point of view of team captain Manuel Neuer, “everything was difficult against the Spaniards who were in a good mood”. His team “accepted this fight and allowed little”. He paid a big compliment to the defenders. And: “After the 0:1 we didn’t stick our heads in the sand and continued to believe in ourselves. The important thing is: We are still alive.” (dpa, tsp)
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Source: Tagesspiegel
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
