News (engl.)

The Germany U21 national team have begun their European U21 Championship qualifying campaign with what can only be described as a perfect start. Head coach Antonio Di Salvo’s side triumphed convincingly over opponents Latvia in front of 9,019 fans in Rostock, with Nelson Weiper (19’), Nicolo Tresoldi (44’, 50’, 57’) and Muhammed Damar (59’) all scoring on the night.

“I’m incredibly pleased with how we played tonight and with my own performance as well. It was a perfect evening,” said hat-trick hero Tresoldi after the game.

For this crucial game, Di Salvo placed his trust in Mio Backhaus to start in between the sticks. Lining up in front of the Werder keeper, Elias Baum, Finn Jeltsch, Joshua Quarshie and Lukas Ullrich made up the backline in the first XI. A midfield three of Noel Aseko, Aljoscha Kemlein and Muhammed Damar set the tempo for the game at the heart of the 4-3-3 formation, with an attacking trio of Brajan Gruda, Nicolo Tresoldi and Nelson Weiper completing the lineup on the night.

Weiper opens the scoring

Germany set out to dominate the game right from the first blow of the whistle. While the first attempt on Latvia’s goal failed to seriously threaten, the next attacking opportunity proved a real danger. Kemlein drove forward and found Tresoldi, who burst into the box, but couldn’t squeeze his shot past Nikita Parfjonovs (2’). Latvia managed to withstand the early pressure from Germany, and were able to push the side back towards their own goal in the minutes following. This lasted only until the 12th minute, however, as a shot from Gruda was deflected over for a corner. The winger was involved again just moments later, as his cross into Latvia’s box was met by a 15th minute header from Tresoldi that only narrowly sailed over the crossbar.

The opening goal that Germany had been searching for finally came in their next attack. Ullrich reacted quickly in a dual for a second ball, before Gruda and Aseko combined to eventually find Weiper, who fired across from the right side of the box, with the opener nestling into the far corner to give Germany a deserved lead (19’). Germany kept up the pressure and continued to pen the visitors in, the next chance coming in the form of an 18-yard effort from Damar, which the keeper fumbled to present Ullrich with another dangerous chance that only narrowly didn’t come off (28’).

Latvia retreated further and further back into their own half, giving Germany even more space to control the game and attempting to hold firm against the attacking onslaught from their opponents. Despite the deep block, Germany’s play once again proved too much for the Latvian defence as Tresoldi met Weiper’s ball across the box with a clinical finish in the 44th minute.

Damar nets his first goal for the U21s

After the break, Germany kept up the quality display from the first half. The duo behind the second goal combined again, with Tresoldi running onto Weiper’s delivery into the box, before cutting inside to throw off his marker and slotting a cool finish into the far corner to make it 3-0 (50’). Germany didn’t let up after that, winning a corner for themselves soon after. Quarshie headed the delivery down into Tresoldi’s path, setting up the goalscorer with a golden opportunity from just a few yards out. The striker put away the chance with ease, securing his hat-trick for the night in the process (57’). After an attractive build-up phase that followed, Damar was able to notch a debut goal for the side to round off the scoring in what was a dominant affair for Germany’s attack. Aseko was given the time to pick his pass just outside of the Latvian box and played a ball across to Damar, waiting to receive on the left, who shrugged off an opponent and placed the ball effortlessly into the far corner to make it five on the night (59’).

Umut Tohumcu, Dženan Pejčinović and Said El Mala came on in the 64th minute to replace Aseko, Tresoldi and Damar. Germany’s inspired forward play slowed for a while after the changes, until Gruda almost punished Parfjonovs for a spilled save, although the Latvian keeper just got a touch on the lobbed effort to put the ball out for a corner (69’). Di Salvo made more substitutions in the 72nd minute, as Tom Rothe and Ilyas Ansah replaced Ullrich and Weiper.

After 77 minutes played, the visitors from the Baltic had their best chance of the night. After an unsuccessful free-kick attempt, Latvia captain Ivans Patrikejevs fired a dangerously clean strike towards the German goal from 20 yards out, although in the end only succeeded in hitting the side-netting. In a last-ditch effort, Pejcinovic attempted to capitalise on a mistake from El Mala, but was only able to hit the post with the attempt (90+1’). The next international break will see Germany U21s host Greece in Jena (10th October) before travelling to Belfast to play Northern Ireland (14th October). Malta and Georgia are Germany’s remaining opponents in EUROs qualification Group F.