In many ways it was the perfect first-half performance, if you discount the concession of a late goal. But although Germany dominated the opening 45 minutes at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, their failure to take the lead came back to cost them as France booked their place in the final of Euro 2016 and sent the world champions home empty-handed.
The tournament’s second semi-final was clear proof that the outcome of football matches can be determined by the finest of margins, even at a level as high as this.
Had Germany gone in level at the interval, it looked likely that they would make the breakthrough at some point in the second period. Instead, a moment of madness from Bastian Schweinsteiger led to the hosts being awarded a penalty in the dying seconds of the first half, and Antoine Griezmann’s cool conversion meant it was always going to be a long way back against a France outfit who carry such a threat on the counter.
• More: Opportunistic France on to final | In pictures
The Germans’ build-up play for much of the encounter was excellent. France struggled to get out of their own half for long periods early on, with Paul Pogba and Blaise Matuidi finding it difficult to cope with the influx of bodies into midfield areas.
With full-backs Jonas Hector and Joshua Kimmich providing the width high up the pitch, Germany were able to flood the centre of the park through the positioning of Toni Kroos, Emre Can, Mesut Ozil and Julian Draxler.
Ozil looked typically dangerous whenever he picked up possession in pockets of space between the lines, while Kroos’ unerring ability to continually identify and execute the right pass at the right moment set Germany on their way from deeper in the pitch.
What Joachim Low’s men lacked, however, was the required cutting edge in the final third. Thomas Muller, who has had a desperately disappointing Euros, was poor once again, wasteful with a number of openings inside the penalty area while also contributing little outside of it.
For all of their fantastic approach play, Germany just could not carve a dogged French team open. Perhaps their relentless possession and pressure would have eventually worn Didier Deschamps’ charges down, but Griezmann’s spot-kick suddenly handed France the initiative.
It was a similar story after the break, as Germany prowled and probed but could not find a way through. New Barcelona signing Samuel Umtiti was magnificent in the heart of the hosts' backline as France repelled multiple attacks before the Germans were able to apply a decisive touch, and it was they who created most of the better scoring chances right up until the final whistle.
France triumphed at the European Championship in 2000 two years after lifting the World Cup trophy, but Germany's hopes of replicating that achievement after their success in Brazil in 2014 are now over.
It remains to be seen whether Low, who has now been in charge of his country for a decade, will carry on or step aside, but the age of many of the world champions' key players and the emergence of a talented crop of youngsters means they will probably mount a challenge for the title in Russia in 2018 regardless.
For now, though, the overwhelming feeling must be one of regret. There was much to praise about Low’s side’s display in the first half in Marseille, but ultimately they did not do enough to earn the victory that would have sent them through to a seventh Euros final in their 12 appearances to date.
They will lick their wounds and bounce back, though, for that is what Germany do.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
