Outgoing Germany coach Joachim Low regretted his team’s missed opportunities in a 2-0 defeat by England in their Euro 2020 last-16 game on Tuesday after his 15-year run at the helm of the national team came to an end at Wembley.
In what turned out to be Low’s last game in charge, his side found no way past a granite-like defence that has yet to concede in the tournament as Gemany missed two golden chances through Timo Werner and Thomas Muller in either half to score.
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“It was a huge disappointment,” Low said. “We expected more and the belief in the team was there. But in such games you have to take your chances when you get them.
“We had two of those chances with Werner and Mueller and so it is bitter to be eliminated now at this stage.”
Werner cut into the box and fired against goalkeeper Jordan Pickford early in the first half, while Muller, with only the keeper to beat, fired wide seconds after England had taken the lead through Raheem Sterling in the 75th minute.
“When such things happen, like Muller’s chance, then you just have to accept it. Normally he makes those and today we needed it but it did not happen,” Low said.
England striker Harry Kane‘s 86th minute header then killed off the game, with the Tottenham player finally opening his account after a disappointing Euro thus far.
Low, who took over in 2006 and led Germany to the 2014 World Cup title before they crashed out of the tournament four years later in the first round, will be succeeded by former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick.
“We had hoped for so much more in this tournament. I am sad that the enthusiasm at home is now gone after a game,” Low said.
Germany keeper Manuel Neuer said it could have gone either way.
“I think it was a huge chance for us to advance to the last eight, but we missed that chance and the disappointment is great,” Neuer said.
“It was a tight game. Werner had a chance, then at 1-0 Thomas [Muller] had a chance. Had he scored it would have been different. It wasn’t that they played us against the wall.”