First match of the group stage

Our first match will be on the 18th of June, the fourth day of the World Cup.

Our first game will be against Mexico. Other opponents in our group include South Korea and Sweden. We should have one of the easier groups.

Anyway, the opening match was the host Russia vs Saudi Arabia, which Russia won 5-0.

~4 days later~

The first matches were already played and now it is our turn. 

Our starting eleven players were running onto the field and first, every German, the every Mexican started to sing their national hymn.

The game started and Mexico played fast-paced football. The Germans, who were in weak form today couldn't do much. The defense was weak and we couldn't do much against Mexico's counterattack in the 35th minute. Germany's left defense was very weak and we lacked a fast type of defender. After the goal, Löw looked at me for a short moment and I looked at him. He said, "Warm up in half time".

I nodded.

ten minutes later it was already halftime. 

I started to warm up. Nothing special as a few more people were doing the same. 

After halftime, I was subbed on and Plattenhardt was subbed out. 

I was playing in a position like a 6, but more defensive. 

We were playing like 2-1-1-4-2 with Hummels and Boateng being both CBs who were playing with more width now.

Me playing like an IV, but more in front and Kimmich in the place of an 8.

Özil now played left offensive midfielder and Kroos right offensive midfielder. Werner now played left striker and Müller was changed to right striker.

For the right wing, Reus was substituted in for Khedira, and for the left wing, Sane was substituted in for Draxler. 

It didn't matter that we played with so few defensive people as Mexico was playing very defensively in the second half and only tried a few counterattacks, which weren't great.

Even if they counterattacked, we would be fast enough to let our wingers and me get backward to turn into a 5-1-2-2.

We often tried to combinate our way through or shoot a few high-balls as, Kimmich, Boateng, and Hummels were pretty good at it and we had 3 fast runners in the offensive. 

We only tried these high-balls if Mexico applied pressure as it was important to not lose any more goals. 

If we lost the balls, while combinating together and lost in such a situation where they wouldn't be too far from our defenders, it would be very risky. 

Instead, we played high-balls as four people. Due to that Kimmich and I could quickly run to the left-back or right-back and we could defend as four men. 

And if we try to combine, we have a few good technical players like me, Sane, Werner, Kroos, Özil, and Reus. In that situation, Kimmich and I switched places and I Played the 8 and he the 6. This was okay, as I could rash back fast.

In the 71st minute our team was stuck in midfield, but this was more like our own initiative to use our fast players better. Anyway.

I passed the ball to Kroos, Kroos to Özil, Özil to Werner, Werner to me, a few lame passes, but after the ball arrived at me again, like the 7th time, I immediately made a chip over their left side of the defense. Leroy (Sane) started to sprint before I shot and got the ball. Reus started to sprint with him on the other side.

All Mexico players started to sprint back. I started to jog back to our goal to ensure our defense would be stable if the attack failed and we were counterattacked.

Sane easily outran most of the people and after arriving near their goalkeeper, the World Cup legend Ochoa, he laid the ball sideways to Reus who easily shot the ball in.

We celebrated, but it didn't last long as the video referee was looking if it was offside on my pass and Sane's pass to Reus. 

The decision didn't take long and the goal was not disallowed. 

We drew 1:1 now.

The game was one-sided now. We had a few long shots, but either they weren't on goal or Ochoa saved them.

After a corner kick from Kroos Ochoa parried the ball to the outside of the penalty area, but I stood there. I volleyed.

The shot was good, but in the last moment a player from Mexico jumped into the ball and it was a corner again.

The other corner wielded nothing.

Soon before the end of the game, we had a free-kick in a good position. Kroos shot with an elevator ball over the wall of Mexico. It was a great free-kick, but somehow Ochoa reflected the ball onto the crossbar. 

After that, nothing happened anymore and we drew 1:1 against Mexico.

I was praised for quickly changing the pace of the game to initiate the 1:1.

The other match in our group was Sweden against South Korea, in which the match ended in a draw.