Germany routed 4-1 by Japan in friendly as pressure mounts on coach Hansi Flick
Baku, September 10, AZERTAC
Germany was jeered by its home crowd Saturday after slumping to a 4-1 loss to Japan to pile yet more pressure on coach Hansi Flick, nine months out from hosting the European Championship, according to AP.
The German defence allowed Japan a string of chances on the counter and the result highlights the lack of progress since a 2-1 loss to Japan played a key role in Germany going out of last year’s World Cup in the group stage. Flick’s team has not won any of its last five games and conceded 13 goals in that time.
“At some point, expectations and reality are so far apart that you have to accept that currently you aren’t good enough,” Germany captain Ilkay Gündoğan told broadcaster RTL. “Perhaps we also think that we are better than we really are.”
Flick said he believes he is still the right coach for Germany and he was supported by Gündoğan, who said he still trusts him. Another challenge comes Tuesday with a friendly against World Cup runner-up France.
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