Captain scores injury-time penalty as team comes from two goals down to secure 3-3 draw in friendly
\nBREMEN
\nAn injury-time penalty from Germany captain Joshua Kimmich salvaged a 3-3 draw with Ukraine in a friendly in Bremen on Monday.
\nGermany trailed 3-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining but a goal from Kai Havertz gave the home side hope, before the Chelsea forward won a penalty in injury time, bringing Kimmich to the spot.
\nDespite the comeback, an impressive Ukraine led for much of the match and will take significant momentum into this month\u2019s crucial Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Malta.
\nAsked if his side had given away victory, Ukraine manager Serhiy Rebrov, in his first match in charge, said \u201care you asking me whether it\u2019s a success if we draw 3-3 with Germany?\u201d \u201cI think we created enough chances and we could have scored even more.\u201d
\nThe manager thanked Germany for hosting the friendly, telling the post-match press conference \u201cthis is an important match for Ukraine\u201d.
\n\u201cWe are grateful to Germany for supporting us in the war\u201d.
\nGermany coach Hansi Flick lamented the \u201cindividual mistakes\u201d and said his side needed to \u201ckeep working and showing that we\u2019ve improved the things we\u2019re training\u201d. \u201cWe know it\u2019s a long process, but it\u2019s the process that\u2019s important\u201d Flick told Germany\u2019s ZDF network.
\n\u201cWe started well,\u201d Kimmich said after the game, \u201cbut then conceded two stupid goals. That\u2019s exactly what we need to stop\u201d.
\nFlick stayed true to his pre-match promise to bring the \u201cattacking power\u201d ahead of the game, which was Germany\u2019s 1000th top level match.
\nThe manager selected a back three, allowing the offence-minded David Raum and Marius Wolf to roam the wings.
\nThe script looked to be going according to plan for the hosts early, Antonio Ruediger\u2019s pressure forcing a hurried Mykhaylo Mudryk to pass directly to an unmarked Niclas Fuellkrug just metres from goal.
\nWhile the striker blasted centimetres wide, Fuellkrug had the ball in the net soon after, deflecting a Wolf shot into the net just six minutes in.
\nOriginally awarded to Wolf, the goal was later credited to Fuellkrug, making it the Bremen striker\u2019s seventh in seven games in Germany colours.
\nGermany pushed for a second but Ukraine struck twice in five minutes to turn the match on its head.
\nUkraine latched onto a lazy pass from Julian Brandt, Viktor Tsyhankov\u2019s counter-attacking goal awarded on VAR review after being initially scratched off for offside.
\nThe visitors countered again and it was Mudryk who made the difference, the Chelsea forward\u2019s shot deflecting in off a flat-footed Ruediger for an own goal.
\nFlick upset the home fans by taking off Bremen striker Fuellkrug at halftime for Havertz, but Ukraine extended their lead soon after, again due to a Germany mistake.
\nMatthias Ginter failed to deal with a high back pass from Julian Brandt on the edge of the area. Artem Dovbyk pounced, before squaring to Viktor Tsygankov who made it 3-1.
\nWith the match seemingly out of reach, the visitors took off the impressive Mudryk with the month\u2019s remaining fixtures in mind.
\nGermany scored next through Havertz, the Chelsea forward slotting in a looping pass from Ruediger to give the home fans hope of a comeback.
\nThe forward won a penalty soon after, brought down in the box by Eduard Sobol, bringing captain Kimmich to the spot.
\nThe Bayern Munich midfielder\u2019s penalty bounced in off the post, saving Germany\u2019s blushes a year out from hosting the 2024 European Championships.
\nWhile Germany have already qualified as hosts, Ukraine have showed real promise that they could make it to the tournament, despite a tough qualifying group including Euro 2021 finalists England and Italy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Captain scores injury-time penalty as team comes from two goals down to secure 3-3 draw in friendly BREMEN An injury-time penalty from Germany captain Joshua Kimmich salvaged a 3-3 draw with Ukraine in a friendly in Bremen on Monday. Germany trailed 3-1 with less than 10 minutes remaining but a goal from Kai Havertz gave […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-337541","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n