Joshua Kimmich breaks down Germany’s 2-2 draw vs Argentina: player reactions

Germany had a tough game against an old foe in an international friendly that was anything but friendly. Each team had their moments and gave their all to win, the game fairly ending as a 2-2 draw.

Kimmich breaks down the game

Speaking to Sport1, Bayern Munich’s own Joshua Kimmich emphasized the contrast between the team’s first and second half performances as well as wearing the armband for the first time. He said,

The first half was very good, as we had good counterattacks. In the second half we lost the ball too quickly and paid the price. This is not the first time that this has happened to us in the national team. I don’t think anybody is afraid we might concede a goal. Argentina then just played better and put us on the defensive. That I was allowed to wear the armband today, of course, was a very special feeling.

Kimmich’s analysis of the game is spot on and spoken like a captain. It is great to see Kimmich finally serve as captain for a game as many of us had predicted. On his Bayern Munich teammate Gnabry’s performance, Kimmich told Sport1:

Serge always does our game good. With his dynamism, his one-on-one skills, and his finishing, he always causes problems for the opponent. He is an outstanding player, who does every team good.

Preach on, Kimmich! Gnabry had another standout performance for Germany as we have become accustomed to. This comes after his incredible performance against Tottenham last week where he scored four goals in the second half.

Mixed emotions for Havertz and Brandt

Bayern Munich target Kai Havertz also had his say about Gnabry’s performance and how it helped him score Germany’s second goal. He said, “Serge, of course, saw it outstandingly, lifted his head, and then he saw me; then it was not so hard to put the ball in. Of course, that makes me happy.”

Havertz then described what it was like to score his first senior goal for Germany:

It certainly is a childhood dream to score a goal for the national team some day. Now it has happened; of course I am extremely happy.

Julian Brandt perfectly summed up what we all felt after watching Germany fall to a disappointing, albeit fair, 2-2 draw against Argentina. Brandt said,

Of course we would have liked to win, but in the end we realized that we were a new team. Not everything can work out yet. It’s a shame.

Ter Stegen satisfied

The perennial backup keeper at last received his chance to play for Germany instead of Manuel Neuer. Ter Stegen was not to blame for the two goals conceded, although he undoubtedly would have preferred to keep a clean sheet. He said after the match,

For me it’s important to play 90 minutes, play my games, and get a feeling for it. When you don’t play, you can’t show what you can do, and that’s my goal. The coach gave me the chance. Of course I’d always like to keep going and work on things. Even if the team was not the team that perhaps would normally play, it was a game that was interesting, especially in the first half. In the second half, we eased up a bit.