NURNBERG: Euro 2024 hosts Germany missed a catalogue of chances against Ukraine but had to settle for a 0-0 draw in their penultimate warm-up game before the tournament start in 11 days.
In other warm-up friendlies Croatia beat North Macedonia 3-0, Enfgland woke up late to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina by the same margin and Scotland defeated Gibraltar 2-0.
The Germans, desperate for a good Euro on home soil after a decade without any international success, hit the posts and came close on several occasions in a strong performance despite plenty of substitutions.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann is due to announce his final squad this week, cutting one player from his 27-man preliminary selection.
He said: “I wish we had won 2-0 or 3-0. We played a good game over large phases. The team wanted to win and you could feel it. The first 20 minutes were very good. Then the 20 minutes after the break were also very good again and we had six or seven chances to score a goal.
“Then we got caught out on some quick breaks but Manuel (Neuer) was there and he played a good game as well.”
Germany, without Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund players in the lineup following Saturday’s Champions League final, but with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the stands, started at a fast pace and with high pressing.
Ilkay Gundogan should have put them in the lead in the 16th minute when Pascal Gross sent a cross to the far post for a header but the unmarked Germany captain failed to connect properly.
The Germans, who play their final warm-up game against Greece in four days, came close again early in the second half but Kai Havertz’s glancing header sailed wide in the 53rd.
Palmer makes mark
Cole Palmer marked his first England start by setting Gareth Southgate’s side on their way to victory as the countdown to Euro 2024 continued with victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James’ Park.
England’s much-changed side struggled to find any rhythm for long periods in a scrappy affair but finally broke the deadlock on the hour when Palmer drove in a penalty after Ezri Konsa was pulled back at a corner.
Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold made sure of the win with a fine volley at the far post five minutes from time, with Harry Kane later pouncing from close range to give the scoreline a convincing appearance.
Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, also making his full debut, was a bright spark until he was substituted, giving manager Southgate food for thought as he prepares to finalise his squad for the tournament in Germany after Friday’s friendly against Iceland at Wembley.
England’s line-up understandably carried an experimental air with so many first choices either unavailable or left on the bench, and it showed in a disorganised, uninspired first hour.
Head coach Steve Clarke says Scotland “just need to find the final finish” before Euro 2024 after labouring to victory against Gibraltar.
With the squad on a run of seven games without a win and afflicted with injury issues, it took 58 minutes to break the deadlock against the world’s 203rd best side.
The opener eventually came through Ryan Christie, who lashed the ball home in anger just before the hour mark. Che Adams added an emphatic late second to confirm a much-needed, if uninspiring win in Faro, Portugal.
Clarke said: “What we learned is that we can create chances and we just need to find the final finish. We need to work on it in training and their confidence in terms of finishing.”
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