Thanks to goals from Davie Selke and Joshua Kimmich, the U21 national team have begun their European Championship qualification stage with a win. In a 3-0 win against Azerbaijan, second division side RB Leipzig striker Selke put Germany into the lead after 33 minutes. In the closing stages, Kimmich converted a penalty before Selke scored his second three minutes into injury time to put the game to bed.
U21 manager Horst Hrubesch was pleased with his team's performance. "The victory was well deserved. Considering that it was many of the players' second game for the team and the amount of young players we have in the squad, I am very happy. Our defence didn't allow them many chances but up front we could have been a lot more clinical. That is something we need to work on." The two missed penalties didn't bring down his mood either. "I'm not annoyed about the penalties. Sometimes it happens, even twice in a game."
Selke opens the scoring
Former Bremen striker Davie Selke got his first goal for the U21s with a header, after being set up by winger Maximilian Arnold. In front of 150 spectators, the Germans began to cause more problems for the home side's defence at the Dalga Stadium. Led by captain Leon Goretzka of Schalke, the U21s had to be patient as they awaited their second goal.
With temperatures of 34 degrees in Baku, Germany could have won even more comfortably had they taken their easiest chances, as Selke saw his penalty come back out off the post in the 41st minute. It soon became a very one-sided affair, however, as Azerbaijan's Adil Nagiew was sent off just before half time for his second yellow card.
Germany prevail with two late goals
After the break the U21s kept playing at their high tempo in a rough game, and their best chances came through substitutes Öztunali and Meyer. After the Schalke midfielder Meyer failed to convert his penalty, hitting the same post as Selke, Kimmich stepped up for the third and put it away with two minutes of the 90 remaining. Selke extended the lead even further shortly after, as he scored the side's third goal of the day in injury time.
The next opponents for the U21s will be Finland in Essen on 9th October. After that they will face Faroe Islands, Austria and Russia. The nine group-winning teams will gain automatic qualification to the European Championship in Poland in 2017, while the four best second place teams will go into a play-off.
Thanks to goals from Davie Selke and Joshua Kimmich, the U21 national team have begun their European Championship qualification stage with a win. In a 3-0 win against Azerbaijan, second division side RB Leipzig striker Selke put Germany into the lead after 33 minutes. In the closing stages, Kimmich converted a penalty before Selke scored his second three minutes into injury time to put the game to bed.
U21 manager Horst Hrubesch was pleased with his team's performance. "The victory was well deserved. Considering that it was many of the players' second game for the team and the amount of young players we have in the squad, I am very happy. Our defence didn't allow them many chances but up front we could have been a lot more clinical. That is something we need to work on." The two missed penalties didn't bring down his mood either. "I'm not annoyed about the penalties. Sometimes it happens, even twice in a game."
Selke opens the scoring
Former Bremen striker Davie Selke got his first goal for the U21s with a header, after being set up by winger Maximilian Arnold. In front of 150 spectators, the Germans began to cause more problems for the home side's defence at the Dalga Stadium. Led by captain Leon Goretzka of Schalke, the U21s had to be patient as they awaited their second goal.
With temperatures of 34 degrees in Baku, Germany could have won even more comfortably had they taken their easiest chances, as Selke saw his penalty come back out off the post in the 41st minute. It soon became a very one-sided affair, however, as Azerbaijan's Adil Nagiew was sent off just before half time for his second yellow card.
Germany prevail with two late goals
After the break the U21s kept playing at their high tempo in a rough game, and their best chances came through substitutes Öztunali and Meyer. After the Schalke midfielder Meyer failed to convert his penalty, hitting the same post as Selke, Kimmich stepped up for the third and put it away with two minutes of the 90 remaining. Selke extended the lead even further shortly after, as he scored the side's third goal of the day in injury time.
The next opponents for the U21s will be Finland in Essen on 9th October. After that they will face Faroe Islands, Austria and Russia. The nine group-winning teams will gain automatic qualification to the European Championship in Poland in 2017, while the four best second place teams will go into a play-off.
