Germany, who had already secured qualification, allowed Hungary to equalize in stoppage time and ended up with a 1-1 draw in their last Nations League group match on November 19.
Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai scored a penalty with the final kick of the match to equalize Felix Nmecha’s goal from the 76th minute. They had already secured a spot in the League A/B playoffs.
Squad Overhaul After Dominant Win Over Bosnia
Following a comprehensive 7-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina on November 16, which secured first place in Group A3, Germany’s coach Julian Nagelsmann made extensive changes to his squad, implementing nine substitutions in the starting lineup.
Germany Struggles to Match Previous Performance
Germany, which topped the group with 14 points and progressed to the quarter-finals, struggled to display the same explosiveness as in their previous match and found it difficult to create space against the Hungarians.
In contrast, it was the home team, missing assistant coach Adam Szalai who is recuperating after fainting during Saturday’s game against the Netherlands, that established the tempo and put Alexander Nuebel to the test with attempts from Andras Schaefer and Zsolt Nagy.
Key Moments in the Second Half
The four-time world champions, aiming for the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, performed better in the second half and struck the post with a shot from Kai Havertz in the 63rd minute.
However, goalkeeper Nuebel had to step up again by deflecting Barnabas Varga’s shot from close range wide. Shortly after, Nmecha, starting in his first match for Germany, scored by poking the ball in after a scramble in front of the goal.
Szoboszlai Late Penalty Equalizer
Szoboszlai subsequently converted the last-minute penalty for the home team in the ninth minute of stoppage time.
Germany Looks to Reclaim International Success
Germany, which claimed the World Cup title in 2014, will begin the qualification process in March after the draw in December, and following a lengthy period without tournament victories, they are eager to regain their standing on the international stage.
The Germans were knocked out in the first round of the last two World Cups, while they were eliminated in the Round of 16 at Euro 2020 and reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, which was held on their home turf.
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