The four-time world champion Germany sealed its ticket to the Qatar-2022 World Cup on Monday, the first nation to achieve it via the qualifying phase, by defeating North Macedonia (4-0) and benefiting from the defeat of Armenia in Romania (1-0 ).
The goals of Kei Havertz (50), Timo Werner twice (70, 73), and the young Jamal Musiala (84) leave Hansi Flick’s ‘Mannschaft’ with 21 points in group J, for Romania’s 13 and the 12 of North Macedonia and Armenia, which will no longer be able to reach it in the absence of two dates.
"This early classification will reinforce our confidence in us. Obviously we now want to be world champions"Havertz stated for RTL Germany.
The only team that until now had a guaranteed presence at the World Cup was Qatar, as the host country.
This classification of Germany – the 18th in a row since 1954 to the finals of a World Cup – in an affordable group, is not a surprise.
In the last edition, the ‘Mannschaft’ had obtained the ticket to Russia-2018 after having won its ten games … to later be eliminated in the group stage at the World Cup.
But just as important as that is the new enthusiasm that Hansi Flick has instilled in the team since he succeeded Joachim Löw after the European Championship.
The former Bayern coach has established football based on possession and the taking of offensive risks.
Werner double
In the capital Skopje, against the only rival that had beaten them in this qualifying group J (2-1 in the first leg in Duisburg), Germany was nonetheless slow to open the can.
In the first half, neither Kimmich, headed in minute 2, nor Werner, who touched the post (45 + 2), nor Gnabry, lacking precision in his shot (41), managed to beat goalkeeper Dole Dimitrievski.
It was Chelsea striker Kai Havertz who unlocked the situation in the 50th minute. A fleeting counter left Müller, Werner and Havertz against two: while Werner pinned a defender on the right, Müller served half a goal to Havertz on his left, who he only had to push the ball against Dimitrievski (1-0).
Werner finished deciding the German side’s clash in three minutes: half volley from Müller’s pass (70), and a tight shot with the right (73), the most beautiful goal of the night.
"When we press the opponent for fifty minutes on his goal, it is only a matter of time before we find the hole"Werner declared.
The end of the match gave a hopeful nod to Germany’s future, as Karim Adeyemi (19, RB Salzburg) served Bayern jewel Jamal Musiala (18) for a full cold-blooded finish (83).
.