Euro 2024 host Germany had to come from a goal down to snatch a last gasp 2-1 victory over Greece on Friday in a lacklustre dress rehearsal ahead of next week’s tournament start.
Pascal Gross fired in the winner in the 89th minute as the Germans showed they still have room for improvement ahead of their June 14 tournament opener against Scotland.
In an error-ridden first half performance, the hosts showed little in terms of dynamism and often lost possession, with the Greeks overrunning them and carving out a golden chance in the sixth minute.
But Christos Tzolis’s double effort from close range was blocked by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who will be first choice between the posts in the tournament over Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Neuer, however, could not hold on to another Tzolis shot in the 33rd after the German defence lost possession in their own half, with the keeper spilling the ball into the path of Giorgos Masouras for a tap-in.
“We know well that in football bad first halves are part of it,” said Germany midfielder Toni Kroos.
“Just too many mistakes. We gifted the ball away too often, then we were hit on the break. We were more focused in the second half. We did it better after the break.”
Germany put the ball in the net in the 43rd with Kai Havertz but he was offside. The Arsenal player is expected to start in attack at the Euros with Niclas Fuellkrug, who came on in the second half, on the bench.
Germany started pressing higher after the break with coach Julian Nagelsmann, who cut fourth goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel from the Euros squad, making five substitutions in the second half, and they started pushing the visitors back.
Havertz did better in the 55th, turning in the box and levelling with a deflected shot.
Greece almost hit back on the break in the 64th but Neuer again came to the rescue before Benjamin Henrichs rattled the crossbar with a 20-metre missile.
Gross, also a second-half substitute, then made sure of the win with his long range effort with the fans, desperate to see the team win their first major international title in a decade on home soil, breathing a sigh of relief.
“The second half was at times better, at least better than the first,” Nagelsmann said. “We lost possession far too many times in that first half.
“We were too slow and we addressed that at halftime. We will now meet up on Monday to start preparing for Scotland.
“They are an opponent with a lot of power and we will prepare well and we will play a good opener,” he added.
Germany also play Hungary and Switzerland in their Euro Group A.
