After the soggy encounter against Slovakia the previous Sunday, the weather is considerably brighter at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen, and there is a more solid and established look to the German team too. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is back and with the captain’s armband with Bastian Schweinsteiger still not fully fit but on the subs bench.
With Mats Hummels also on the mend Benedikt Höwedes joins Jérôme Boateng, Antonio Rüdiger and Jonas Hector in a solid-looking back four, and there’s a experienced look to the defensive midfield with Sami Khedira pairing up with Toni Kroos, back in the team after being rested against the Slovaks.
Also returning to the team are regulars Mesut Özil and Thomas Müller, who join Julian Draxler in a strong-looking offensive midfield unit. Just ahead of them is Mario Götze, who slots into the false nine role.
Germany are back in their familiar white shirts and black shorts, while their Hungarian opponents are kitted out in an all-red ensemble. It is their first meeting against the Hungary for just over six years, and a comfortable 3-0 friendly win in Budapest with goals from Lukas Podolski, Mario Gómez and Cacau.
1 min. Germany get things under way. A great build up through the middle of the pitch, a well-timed ball from Götze, and Draxler has the ball in the back of the net to give the Mannschaft the lead. But no, it is flagged offside. The replay exposes a shocking decision from the Swedish linesman, with the VfL Wolfsburg man a good yard onside.
4 mins. Germany have started brightly, and are looking to stamp their authority on the game.
5 mins. The home side win their first corner, which is cleared.
6 mins. Boateng is being treated after taking a knock, and the Germans are temporarily down to ten men. After the Bayern München defender’s injury problems earlier in the season, this is not a good sign.
9 mins. Müller works his way down the right and sends in a cross, and Draxler’s spectacular overhead effort flies high over the target. Boateng meanwhile is back on the pitch.
10 mins. The Hungarians have their first effort, as Ádám Pintér’s header floats high over the crossbar.
11 mins. As the play switches to the other end there are two chances in the space of a minute for the Germans. Thomas Müller’s well-struck shot from some twenty-five yards is turned behind by track-suited veteran ‘keeper Gábor Király, and from the resulting corner Rüdiger heads wide with the goal at his mercy. That was a clear chance there for the AS Roma full-back, one where it was probably easier to find the back of the net.
14 mins. Hungarian skipper Balázs Dzsudzsák is allowed to make space just outside the German box, and his shot is on target and well saved by Neuer. Ádám Szalai is first to the rebound, but Neuer is again there to block the shot. A great save by Neuer, but the flag is raised against the former Schalke 04 striker.
16 mins. There’s a bit of head-tennis in the Hungarian box, and it finally falls to Boateng whose crisply-hit shot is blocked by one of the many red shirts.
20 mins. It is something of a familiar story, but despite dominating the game and creating plenty of chances, Jogi Löw’s men are still looking at a goalless scoreline.
21 mins. Khedira lifts a floated ball into the box and finds Götze, but the Bayern man is unable to find a teammate.
27 mins. A great pass from Dzsudzsák slices through the German defence towards Szalai, who wins a corner. Dzsudzsák’s kick is slightly overhit, but Pintér is still able to get to the ball before sending his header just over the bar.
30 mins. Boateng’s well-placed cross towards the far post is met by Götze, but he is well marshalled and sends his header well wide.
35 min. The game is taking a similar shape to the one against Slovakia, and there are clear signs of frustration both on the field and in the crowd. The home side have just gone off the boil after a dynamic start, while the Hungarians have managed to find a foothold after a rock start.
36 mins. Kroos is booked after bringing down Pintér.
39 mins. An excellent passage of play from the men in white finally provides the breakthrough. Draxler weaves his way down the left, finding Hector whose well-timed ball into the box is easily finished by Götze from close range under pressure from Ádám Lang. The Germans are finally and deservedly in front, but the Nationaltrainer is still looking stony-faced on the touchline. 1-0.
42 mins. László Kleinheisler takes a nibble at Kroos and is shown the yellow card. The free-kick is turned in by Kroos to Müller, who expertly detaches himself from his marker and sends the ball into the danger zone. The ball doesn’t quite fall for the Germans though, and the Hungarians clear the danger.
44 mins. A half-chance for Hungary at the other end, but Neuer confidently collects.
45+1 mins. The Swedish referee blows for half-time. Germany take a deserved lead into the break, through in truth the game should have been over long before that. Rather than being credited to Götze, the scoreboard is showing an own goal from Hungarian defender Lang.
There are a couple of changes for Germany, with Emre Can on for Hector and Mario Gómez on for Khedira. There’s going to be plenty of switching around, with Gómez taking up his familiar role up front and Can possibly slotting into the right-back slot with Höwedes moving across to the left.
46 mins. The second half gets underway, and it has started to rain. It looks like Özil has moved back down the pitch with Götze in the playmaker role. Can meanwhile is looking like a straight replacement at left-back.
50 mins. Germany win a corner out on the left, but Kroos’s ball into the box is easily cleared.
53 mins. Can’s poor clearance is collected by Kleinheisler, whose shot is well wide.
55 mins. Draxler bursts down the left and finds Müller in the box, but der Raumdeuter loses his footing.
57 mins. Gómez goes down in the box, but the referee waves play on.
59 mins. A nice interchange between Kroos and Draxler, whose shot balloons over the target.
60 mins. Changes from both sides. Pintér is replaced by veteran Zoltán Gera for Hungary, while for the Mannschaft Draxler makes way for Wolfsburg teammate André Schürrle.
63 mins. A lovely ball in from Boateng is brilliantly met by Gómez, whose header is brilliantly parried by Király. Müller is the first white shirt to the rebound ahead of Lang, and the ball is in the back of the Hungarian net. 2-0.
64 mins. A change for Hungary, as Tamás Priskin is on for Szalai.
67 mins. Having doubled their lead, the movement from the home side is a lot more confident now. There could be a few more goals in this.
68 mins. Two more changes for Germany, with Schweinsteiger on for Kroos and Leroy Sané on for Müller.
75 mins. There’s a bit of a lull now, but Germany are keeping the ball well and looking moree than comfortable.
77 mins. Götze looks to dink the ball into the box to find Gómez, but Lang reads it well and nips in front to clear.
79 mins. Birthday boy and team mascot Lukas Podolski is on for his usual last ten minute cameo, replacing Götze.
82 mins. There’s a double change for the Hungarians, with debutant Barnabás Bese coming on for Attila Fiola and 1. FC Nürnberg’s Zoltán Stieber replaces the industrious Kleinheisler.
86 mins. It looks as though Löw’s side have decided to wind things down now.
88 mins. Manuel Neuer has been largely untroubled during this match, and he gets some time on the ball halfway inside his own half. It looks like the Hungarians have switched off too.
90+1 mins. Schweinsteiger is brought down by Gera, who is booked.
90+2 mins. Hungary make one final attack, but Gergő Lovrencsics is unable to get his shot on target.
90+3 mins. The whistle blows for full time. It has been a satisfactory showing by Jogi Löw’s men against a Hungarian outfit that provided solid enough opposition without offering too much of a threat, and the team will go into the Euros off the back of a well-worked victory – Jogi Löw’s 87th as Nationaltrainer, matching the 38-year record held by the late Helmut Schön.
There are still a number of issues that the coach needs to iron out ahead of their the opening match against Ukraine just over a week from now, but there are plenty of positives to take away from Gelsenkirchen today.
v Hungary, Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, 04.06.2016
2-0 (1-0)
Lang og 39., Müller 63. / –
Germany: Neuer (c) – Höwedes, Boateng, Rüdiger, Hector (46. Can) – Khedira (46. Gómez), Kroos (68. Schweinsteiger) – Müller (68. Sané), Özil, Draxler (60. Schürrle) – Götze (79. Podolski)
Hungary: Király – Fiola (82. Bese), Lang, Guzmics, Kádár – Nagy, Pintér (60. Gera) – Lovrencsics, Kleinheisler (82. Stieber), Dzsudzsák (c) – Szalai
Referee: Martin Strömbergsson (Sweden)
Assistants: Daniel Gustavsson (Sweden), Per Brogevik (Sweden)
Fourth Official: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Yellow Cards: Kroos / Kleinheisler, Gera
Red Cards: – / –
Ball Possession: 70% / 30%
Attempts on Target: 4 / 2
Attempts off Target: 5 / 5
Corners: 4 / 1
Fouls Committed: 10 / 9
Attendance: 50,000