Germany U21s started the year of the Olympics with an impressive 4-1 win over the Faroe Islands. The win in Frankfurt’s Volksbank stadium means that Horst Hrubesch’s team have now won six out of six games in European qualification, and are top of Group 7. Schalke’s young stars Leroy Sané and Max Meyer, an own goal from Ragnar Nattestad and a first goal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Julian Brandt allowed Germany to celebrate yet another win in what has been an exceptional campaign so far. Gestur Bogason Dam scored the goal to make it 1-1 on the stroke of half time.
Germany’s next opponents Russia (Tuesday, 19:00 CET) were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against Azerbaijan. A win over Russia would effectively guarantee Hrubesch’s side, which will be taken over by Marcus Sorg following the Olympics, a place in the European Championships. The DFB side have a six-point cushion over second-placed Austria, who have a game in hand, with just four games remaining.
Hrubesch: "We weren't clinical enough"
"We should have put the game to be in the first half, but we simply weren't clinical enough. The equaliser was unnecessary, but you have to compliment the Faroe Islands, they did well," said Hrubesch. Captain Max Meyer added: "We made it difficult for ourselves, and didn't score the goals. The most important thing was that we got the three points." Julian Brandt continued: "It didn't all go to plan, but considering it was our first game in four months we can be satisfied."
Germany dominate but can’t capitalise
Much like in the 6-0 win earlier in qualification, Germany dominated possession in front of the 4,152 spectators, but could perhaps be accused of over complicating matters in the final third. It was Sané who opened the scoring though, finishing well for his fifth goal of qualification.
In the following period Germany should have put the game to bed, with Meyer, who replaced the inured Goretzka as captain shortly before kick-off, missing two good opportunities in the 30th and 35th minutes. They were punished too, with Gestur Bogason Dam smashing the ball in under the crossbar to make it 1-1.
After the break, Mahmoud Dahoud of Borussia Mönchengladbach was introduced to make his U21 debut, but the game continued as it had done in the first half - Germany dictating play but not scoring the goals. As the game progressed, Germany delivered the hammer blow by scoring twice in quick succession, before Brandt put the icing on the cake, scoring his first goal for the U21s to make it 4-1.
