Tactical surprise failed, home debut a failure: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann experienced a rude awakening with the DFB eleven.

Julian Nagelsmann was really angry. The national coach trudged through the seething Turkish cauldron after his completely unsuccessful home debut in Berlin, the place he had longed for at the European Championships, and there was initially no consolation for the disappointed national coach and his dejected stars. Not even in the German curve, where only a few stars around captain Ilkay Gündogan made an effort.

No wonder: In the final stadium of the EURO, the DFB team deservedly lost 2:3 (1:2) against a better B team from Turkey. The defensive stability urgently demanded by Nagelsmann was nowhere to be seen and his tactical experiment with left-back Kai Havertz failed. Instead of tournament euphoria, the first defeat under Nagelsmann was a rude awakening.

Havertz (5), who the national team coach had called up with “a lot of imagination” and completely unexpectedly in an unfamiliar position, gave the hosts the lead. And nine-man Niclas Füllkrug (49) was also on hand again. But Ferdi Kadioglu (38), Regensburg-born Kenan Yildiz (45.+2) and Yusuf Sari (71) from the penalty spot after Havertz’s handball sent tens of thousands of Turkish fans into ecstasy. It was the first home defeat against Turkey in over 72 years.

“The team knows what to expect,” said Nagelsmann, referring above all to the atmosphere. The 45,000 to 50,000 Turkish fans loudly booed the DFB team and especially Gündogan in his first match against the country of his parents.

However, the German side struck early on: After a fine pass from right-back Benjamin Henrichs to Leroy Sane and his pass, Havertz finished ice-cold to make it 1-0. Nagelsmann’s surprising plan seemed to work and the national coach raised his fists.

Havertz, he explained on RTL, was “a very good option” at left-back, but of course “not a classic” full-back. The Arsenal professional was much more of a hybrid. When in possession, he rushed forward. But when the Turks came, he dropped back into the back four.

In midfield, Nagelsmann deployed his former Munich protégé Joshua Kimmich alongside Gündogan for the first time. The Bayern professional had been absent due to illness in October, but this time he showed his worth in addition to some ball losses: After his fine pass, Sane missed the potential 2-0 (16′).

There was a lot of movement in the German attack. At times Sane went upfield, at other times Florian Wirtz dribbled his way through, at other times Julian Brandt pushed deep. Only Füllkrug seemed somewhat uninvolved in all the action.

But the momentum waned after a good 25 minutes. The visitors, who were missing stars such as Hakan Calhanoglu and Cengiz Ünder or the talented Arda Güler, came forward – and how! Thousands of Turkish fans lit up the stadium with their cell phone lights and were soon able to cheer. Henrichs and Sane were not at their posts for the 1:1, which was preceded by a long ball.

Nagelsmann had warned: “We mustn’t give up so much space with balls over the top.” In vain. At 1:2, Havertz failed to prevent the cross and Henrichs slipped awkwardly in the center. Kevin Trapp, who replaced Marc-Andre ter Stegen (back) in goal, had no chance of defending both times when the European Championship ball “soccer love” struck.

Wirtz drove the ball halfway across the pitch at the start of the second half and found Füllkrug, who scored for the tenth time in his twelfth international match. The German team temporarily gained more control, but lacked ideas going forward.

Turkey were different: Dortmund’s Sali Özcan hit the post (53′). When Sari took a penalty, Trapp guessed the corner and was on the ball, but he was unable to prevent the 2:3. Brandt missed the chance to make it 3:3 (74′). Marvin Ducksch celebrated his international debut in the closing stages