10 Conclusions: Germany 2-2 Belarus

1. There’s still some work to do. I expected tired legs and a slower pace, but not necessarily sloppy and careless defending. Belarus deserved to draw the game.

2. Something must have been lost in translation between what Belarus’ German coach Bernd Stange told the German press and what he told his players. He had promised an easy going Belarus without dangerous tackles. After just fifteen minutes Lentsevich and Putsilo had already been yellow carded for bad tackles on Klose and Schweinsteiger. Putsilo’s tackle on Schweinsteiger could have just as well been a red card. Schweinsteiger was substituted at half time with a swollen ankle, with fears he could have suffered a torn ligament. Team doctors gave the all-clear though.

3. Belarusian family names are more complex than I thought. Belarus and Hamburg midfielder Anton Putsilo is actually called Антон Пуціла and the English transliteration is Anton Putsila. In Russian he is called Антон Путило which transliterates to Anton Putilo. Putilo was also the name printed on his jersey yesterday. FIFA however mixed up Belarusian and Russian and refer to him as Putsilo – as does his club Hamburg. Fascinating.

4. It’s good to have Torsten Frings and Michael Ballack fit for the Euros. It’s not like they had a spectacular game, but they still routinely bossed the midfield and promise to be the cornerstones of Germany’s Euro campaign.

5. Thomas Hitzelsperger is not a left back. And Belarus were smart enough to exploit that fact as often as possible. Löw could have played Lahm as left back and Clemens Fritz as right back. Maybe he wanted Lahm to get used to his designated Euro position.

6. Jens Lehmann put up a Jekyll/Hyde performance. He made two brilliant saves but wasn’t able to control a simple back pass by Lahm, looked bad after a long range effort and could have saved Belarus’ second goal. Jogi Löw said after the match, that Lehmann needs more match practise…

7. Christoph Metzelder is another candidate who needs more match practise. He had a bad game and doesn’t yet click with Per Mertesacker. Despite Belarus’ exploits on Hitzelsperger’s left side, both goals came right through the center.

8. Jogi Löw probably didn’t get any new insights from the players, who are favourites to get the axe. David Odonkor was quick but otherwise limited, Piotr Trochowski proved that his free kicks and long range strikes are always dangerous, Patrick Helmes proved that he is very agile and dangerous and Marko Marin once again demonstrated his technical skills. Jermaine Jones carelessly lost the ball, ahead of Belarus’ equaliser but was solid otherwise, just like Oliver Neuville.

9. Germany didn’t score one goal. Miroslav Klose’s goal was from an offside position, the second was an own goal. So, Belarus scored three and Germany nil. That’s a bit depressing.

10. To end on a positive note: this match is pretty much on par with what Germany showcased ahead of the World Cup 2006. Back then Germany played Japan in a friendly, went 2-0 down and only had some second-half heroics by Bastian Schweinsteiger to thank, that they managed a 2-2 draw in the end. Japan didn’t survive the group stage, while Germany made it to the semi-final. We are on track.