Euro 2024: Germany’s Manuel Neuer dubs Swiss draw a “victory”

Manuel Neuer stated Germany’s 1-1 draw towards Switzerland felt like a “victory” and hailed the influence of the hosts’ substitutes in a match that noticed them end as Group A winners.

Germany fell behind to a Dan Ndoye purpose within the first half and have been annoyed by missed possibilities till substitute Niclas Füllkrug rose to go them degree within the 92nd minute to take care of their seven-match unbeaten run relationship again to November.

One other substitute, David Raum, supplied the cross for the equalising purpose, whereas 21-year-old Maximilian Beier additionally impressed off the bench as Germany dominated the final 20 minutes.

“You need to by no means write off a group, particularly ours, particularly with the substitutions we have been in a position to make,” Neuer instructed reporters after the sport. “The gamers who got here on have been a breath of recent air and the outcome feels a bit like a victory.”

Germany had discovered it laborious to interrupt down a resolute Swiss facet earlier than Füllkrug’s purpose, one thing they must enhance on within the knockout rounds the place they face the runner-up in Group C in Dortmund on Saturday.

“The Swiss did effectively, they have been at all times tight and pressed us,” Neuer stated.

Proper again Joshua Kimmich acknowledged Germany had failed to succeed in the heights of their first two video games within the pool towards Scotland (5-1) and Hungary (2-0) and stated they have to discover that degree once more if they’re to say a primary Euros title since 1996.

“We weren’t fairly pretty much as good over the 90 minutes [as in the first two games] and I believe a draw was a good outcome. We will be glad with the purpose,” Kimmich stated.

Beier, who made his Euros debut in solely his second cap, stated the half-time message from coach Julian Nagelsmann was to maneuver the ball faster.

“Let the ball run quicker to make the gaps greater, that labored higher within the second half,” he stated. “The Swiss are a very good opponent, they did not make it straightforward for us.”

Hungary completed on three factors in Group A after a 1-0 win over Scotland and should wait to search out out if they are going to be one of many 4 greatest third-place finishers who advance to the spherical of 16. Scotland, who posted only one level of their three video games, have been eradicated.