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Japan handed a decisive 4-1 defeat to the host nation, Germany, in a friendly international on Saturday, intensifying the challenges faced by Coach Hansi Flick.
Japan, the team that had previously contributed to Germany’s early exit from the World Cup with a 2-1 victory in Qatar last year, found the net twice in each half.
This defeat raises more uncertainty about Flick’s future, especially with Germany hosting the European Championships just nine months away.
Junya Ito and Ayase Ueda both scored in the first half, with Leroy Sane’s strike sandwiched in between, giving Japan a 2-1 lead at halftime while the home fans expressed their discontent.
Germany’s lackluster performance persisted in the second half, and Japan capitalized with two goals in the final five minutes courtesy of Takuma Asano and Ao Tanaka, solidifying their dominant performance.
Flick had assured, prior to the game against Germany, that they would field their “core team,” vowing to abandon the experimental approach that had led to just one victory in five games since their disastrous World Cup exit.
However, Flick made a surprising choice by starting Nico Schlotterbeck at left-back, a position the Borussia Dortmund centre-back had only played twice in his senior career, both times as a substitute.
Schlotterbeck’s lack of experience in this position became evident as he lost track of Japan winger Yukinari Sugawara after just 11 minutes, allowing the winger to deliver a cross that led to Ito scoring the opening goal.
Germany managed to equalize shortly after when newly appointed captain Ilkay Gundogan found Florian Wirtz on the edge of the box.
The playmaker, who has excelled in Bayer Leverkusen’s midfield under the guidance of Xabi Alonso this season, prepared to take a shot but, to everyone’s surprise, opted for a precise pass to Sane, who coolly slotted the ball into the net.
This beautifully executed goal hinted at a potential resurgence for the German team, but Japan had other plans. Sugawara once again exploited the space on Schlotterbeck’s right flank, setting the stage for their next attack.
The winger from AZ Alkmaar, Ito, skillfully threaded a pass through the momentarily flat-footed German defense, creating an opportunity for Ueda to capitalize and score.
The home fans’ initial silence transformed into a chorus of boos and whistles during halftime, a sentiment that persisted into the second half as Germany maintained possession but struggled to breach Japan’s resolute defense.
As Germany desperately pursued an equalizer, Japan secured two late goals. The first came courtesy of Asano, the hero from their previous victory in Qatar, followed by a stunning injury-time strike by Tanaka, sealing a remarkable and commanding performance.
Despite a historical tradition of retaining managers, especially leading up to major tournaments, Germany may find itself departing from convention, especially with former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann seemingly waiting in the wings.
Germany’s next challenge will be a meeting with France in Dortmund on Tuesday, a team poised to exploit any defensive vulnerabilities exposed by the German side.
Japan’s third consecutive win continues to bolster their preparations for January’s Asia Cup in Qatar, a competition they have triumphed in on a record four occasions.
