Slovakia 2-0 Germany Player Ratings: David Strelec rated 9/10 as Germany got Humbled by Slovakia, as they lost 2-0

Group A of the European Qualifiers sees Slovakia take on the four-time world champions, Germany, at the Tehelne pole Stadium in Bratislava. Germany came into this game as the favourite, but what greeted them on the field was a tough Slovakia's side, who thrashed them in both halves. The away side was filled with a balance of young and experienced German football players as they looked to take on Slovakia. The home side rarely had a decent time on the ball but still managed to stun the opposition twice. Just a few minutes before the half-time whistle, David Hancko gave the home side the lead with a calm finish after receiving a clever return pass from David Strelec.

After 10 minutes into the second half and Slovakia doubled their lead, but this time it's David Strelec as he bends a left-foot effort into the far corner after working his way around Antonio Rudiger in the penalty area. Norbert Gyomber gets the assist for his header assist, much deserved. As the game went on, Germany were seen frustrated, nothing was going their way. Germany had over 75% possession in the second half compared to 25% of Slovakia's, still they weren't able to unlock the sturdy defense of the home side. They did come close a few times and can only blame themselves for missing such big chances at this stage. Here are the Slovakia vs Germany player ratings.

Slovakia Player Ratings vs Germany

Goalkeeper

Martin Dúbravka - 8.0: A colossal performance. He made five crucial saves, three from inside the box, to keep a clean sheet. What stood out to us was his commanding presence and the confidence he gave his backline. He was a safe pair of hands all night, and Germany just couldn't find a way past him.

Defenders

Lubomir Satka - 7.0: A rock at the back. He didn't do anything flashy, but he didn't have to. With an incredible 12 clearances, he was in the right place at the right time again and again. His 95% pass accuracy shows how calm he was under pressure, just clearing his lines effectively.

Norbert Gyömbér - 7.5: We were impressed with his all-around game. Not only did he contribute defensively with four clearances and two tackles, but he also provided the assist for the second goal. He was solid, won most of his duels, and showed great awareness to create a goal.

Milan Škriniar - 8.0: The captain led by example. A true warrior's performance from the PSG man. He was immense, making seven clearances, winning 80% of his tackles, and marshaling the defense with authority. He snuffed out danger before it even started. A flawless defensive display.

Dávid Hancko - 8.5: Scored the crucial opening goal with a powerful finish on a counter-attack. Beyond his goal, he was fantastic defensively, making a last-man tackle that was just as important. He was energetic, clinical, and a constant threat. A brilliant performance.

Midfielders

Ondrej Duda - 7.0: The engine room. He was everywhere, winning nine duels and drawing three fouls. He worked tirelessly for the team, though he did lose possession a bit too often for our liking. He even hit the woodwork, showing his intent to get forward and make things happen.

Matus Bero - 7.0: A really solid, if unspectacular, performance. He won his tackles, drew fouls to relieve pressure, and created a couple of chances. He did his job perfectly, providing the grit and energy needed in midfield to disrupt Germany's rhythm.

Stanislav Lobotka - 7.0: The metronome in the middle. Kept possession ticking over with an 88% pass accuracy. He didn't make headlines, but his calm presence and intelligent distribution were vital for Slovakia to build from the back and launch their devastating counters.

Forwards

Leo Sauer - 7.0: A livewire on the wing. He was a constant nuisance for the German defense, getting three shots away and forcing two saves. He missed a big chance, but his direct running and willingness to take players on was a key outlet for his team. A promising display.

David Strelec - 9.0: Man of the Match, without a doubt. An absolutely sensational performance. He scored a goal, provided an assist, and created two big chances. He was clinical, intelligent, and completely terrorized the German backline until he was subbed off. A masterclass in forward play.

D. Ďuriš - 6.0: It was a quiet evening for him. He worked hard for the team but couldn't really get into the game. He was mostly a bystander before being substituted in the second half. Not a bad performance, just an anonymous one.

Substitutes

Tomás Rigo - 6.0: Came on and did his job, helping to see out the game without any fuss.

Lubomír Tupta - N/A: Didn't have enough time to make a significant impact.

Róbert Bozeník - N/A: Brought on late to help run down the clock.

László Bénes - N/A: A late cameo to see out a historic win.

Manager

Francesco Calzona - 8.5: From our perspective, he got his tactics spot on. He set his team up to be defensively impenetrable and ruthlessly efficient on the break. The game plan worked to perfection. A huge scalp for him and his team.

Germany Player Ratings vs Slovakia

Goalkeeper

Oliver Baumann - 6.0: He couldn't do much about either goal, both being well-taken finishes. He made three saves to keep the scoreline from getting worse. A tough night for him, let down by the defenders in front of him.

Defenders

Antonio Rüdiger - 5.5: An uncharacteristically poor performance. He looked off the pace, made an error leading to a shot, and picked up a silly yellow card. He had a lot of the ball but was part of a defense that looked vulnerable on every Slovak counter.

Jonathan Tah - 6.0: Like his partner, he saw a lot of the ball with over 100 touches but was ultimately ineffective. He was solid enough in his duels but seemed to lack the urgency needed to stop Slovakia's quick breaks. A frustrating night for him.

Nnamdi Collins - 5.0: It was a difficult game for the young defender, and it showed. He was caught out of position and struggled against Slovakia's forwards, leading to his substitution at halftime. A harsh learning experience for him.

Maximilian Mittelstädt - 6.5: One of Germany's better performers, which isn't saying much. He tried to get forward and contributed with two key passes, but he was also guilty of losing the ball and picked up a late yellow card. A mixed bag of a performance.

Midfielders

Joshua Kimmich - 7.0: He tried his best to drag his team forward. He was tidy in possession with 97% pass accuracy and won most of his duels. However, he couldn't find that killer pass to unlock a stubborn Slovak defense. A captain's effort in a losing cause.

Leon Goretzka - 5.5: He was largely anonymous. We noticed he struggled to impose himself on the game and missed a big chance to score. For a player of his quality, this was a deeply disappointing and ineffective display.

Angelo Stiller - 6.0: He was neat and tidy on the ball for the hour he was on the pitch. He didn't do much wrong, but he also didn't do much to change the game. An okay performance, but Germany needed more.

Florian Wirtz - 6.5: A frustrating performance to watch. He created four chances and looked like Germany's most likely source of a breakthrough. However, he also lost possession 20 times, which killed his team's momentum. So much talent, but it didn't quite click for him here.

Serge Gnabry - 5.5: A very quiet night for him. He was completely nullified by the Slovak defense and offered very little going forward. It was no surprise to see him substituted after 66 minutes of being a non-factor.

Forwards

Nick Woltemade - 6.0: A physical presence up top, winning six aerial duels. However, his finishing was poor. He had three shots but failed to hit the target with any of them. He provided a focal point but lacked the clinical edge Germany desperately needed.

Substitutes

David Raum - 6.5: Came on at halftime and offered more of an attacking threat down the left than Collins had.

Nadiem Amiri - 6.0: Added some energy but his final product was lacking.

Karim Adeyemi - 6.0: Looked lively but couldn't find a way through the resolute defense.

Manager

Julian Nagelsmann - 5.0: His team had all the possession but no cutting edge. They looked predictable in attack and incredibly vulnerable to the counter. He failed to find a tactical solution to break down Slovakia, and his team paid the price for it.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match is David Strelec