Germany coach Joachim Low took Saturday's 1-0 win over Portugal any way it came, because the brutal nature of the tournament means there is no time to find your feet, he said.
Mario Gomez struck in the 74th minute to give the Germans three points in their Euro 2012 opener in Lviv.
"The start of the Euros is like a Formula One race, but without the practice," he said.
Meeting high-quality opponents in the very first game, unlike in the 32-team World Cup, has a jarring effect on the team and puts a greater premium on grinding out a result regardless of the quality of play, Low said.
"There is no game, like in the World Cup, where you can acclimatize yourself."
Moreover, the teams had the added pressure of knowing Denmark had pulled off a surprise 1-0 win over the Netherlands earlier Saturday, increasing both teams' incentive to pull away from the Dutch, he said.
Germany were "disciplined" and "compact" in defense, Low said, despite Portugal's Pepe having found enough room in the box to place a 45th-minute strike against the crossbar.
"Of course, we could have attacked better."
Low singled out right-back Jerome Boateng for his excellence in keeping Cristiano Ronaldo relatively quiet down the left flank.
The win takes the Germans joint top of the group after Denmark's surprise 1-0 win over the Netherlands earlier Saturday.
Germany face the Netherlands next on Wednesday, with Denmark playing Portugal.
