Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, 23.06.2018
0-1 (0-1)
– / Lozano 35.
The World Cup holders would get their campaign underway in Moscow against Mexico, but not quite up and running in e way they would have wanted. Following the same course as previous World Champions Spain in 2014, the Mannschaft would fall to a shock defeat in the first match in defence of their title.
From the start, Mexico were the far more creative of the two teams, playing with a mix of defensive organisation and swift counterattacking. In stark contrast, Joachim Löw’s mean were sluggish, sloppy and bereft of ideas. When Mexico took the lead through Hirving Lozano in the 35th minute, it was well deserved. It could have even been more were it not for a succession poor passes after the German defence had been caught out time and again.
Germany produced a much better effort in the second half, but continued to misfire in the final third. Try as they might, there was no way through. When the final whistle blew, it signalled the Mannschaft’s first group phase feat since the 1-0 loss to Serbia in 2010, and their first loss in an opening match since the 2-1 reverse against Algeria in Gijón in 1982.
Minute-by-minute Match Report »
Match Analysis & Player Ratings »
Germany: Neuer (c) – Kimmich, Boateng, Hummels, Plattenhardt (79. Gómez) – Khedira (60. Reus), Kroos – Müller, Özil, Draxler – Werner (86. Brandt)
Mexico: Ochoa – Salcedo, Ayala, Moreno, Gallardo – Herrera, Guardado (c) (74. Márquez) – Layún, Vela (58. Álvarez), Lozano (Jiménez) – Chicharito
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran)
Assistants: Reza Sokhandan, Mohammadreza Mansouri (Iran)
Fourth Official: Mohammed Abdulla (United Arab Emirates)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Mohamed Al-Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
Video Assistant Referee: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)
Assistant Video Referees: Carlos Astroza (Chile), Wilton Sampaio (Brazil), Mark Geiger (United States)
Yellow Cards: Müller 83., Hummels 84. / Moreno 40., Herrera 90.
Red Cards: – / –
Ball Possession: 60% / 40%
Attempts on Target/Blocked: 16 / 6
Attempts off Target: 9 / 6
Corners: 8 / 1
Fouls Committed: 10 / 15
Attendance: 78,011
Man of the Match: Hirving Lozano (Mexico)