New Jersey, June 26 -- Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann called on his players to show greater patience and control after their 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in their final FIFA World Cup group match.
Nagelsmann acknowledged that Ecuador deserved the victory, saying Germany had made a good start but gradually lost its structure as the game progressed on Thursday.
"After taking the lead, we lost a little bit of control," he said. "When you start a game well and go in front, you have to remain patient, prepare the spaces and then accelerate when those spaces open up."The German coach said excessive positional rotations made it easier for Ecuador to press and left his side exposed when possession was lost.
"Self-confidence should not lead to too...