What to do with one more World Cup group stage game when you've already won the group? The answer is score two minutes into the game and don't look back. Germany did the first part, but then faded as momentum was replaced by a messy loss that exposes this team's limitations.
There is a way to spin this as a defeat that can sharpen the minds, that can blow away any complacency ahead of the knockouts. Germany captain Joshua Kimmich was certainly bullish in defeat.
"We keep inviting the opponent to attack by turning the ball over, which makes them stronger," Kimmich said on MagentaTV, adding: "Fortunately, this doesn't change much. But we can't afford any more losses. That much is clear. We can't let in one or two goals every game. We have to minimize the number of turnovers, and then we can beat anyone."
But that's not how it felt in East Rutherford at the final whistle. It felt like Germany had gone from a team in form, exceeding the expectations of their fans, riding the waves of joy that come with big wins and last-minute wins, to one stopped short in its tracks. The song that has accompanied this team at the tournament so far has been "The train has no brakes". Today, not only were the brakes on, but the team appeared to derail.
