Germany qualify for 2022 World Cup
Germany is the first country to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after booking their place yesterday with an error-strewn 4-0 win in North Macedonia.
Kai Havertz broke the deadlock in the 50th minute before Chelsea clubmate Timo Werner’s quick-fire double helped Germany atone for their surprise 2-1 loss to North Macedonia in Duisburg in March – the only blip in an otherwise perfect qualifying campaign, with seven wins from eight games in Europe Group J.
Jamal Musiala got the fourth goal for Hansi Flick’s team in the 83rd, set up by fellow substitute Karim Adeyemi.
Germany stretched their lead in the group to an unassailable eight points with two rounds of games remaining. Flick has overseen five wins since he took over from Joachim Löw after the summer’s European Championship.
Ionut Mitria’s 26th-minute goal was enough for Romania to beat Armenia 1-0 in Bucharest.
Iceland defeated Liechtenstein 4-0 in the other group game.
Romania moved to second in the group on 13 points, one ahead of North Macedonia and Armenia on 12. Iceland have eight points and Liechtenstein one from a draw with Armenia in September.
In Skopje, Stole Dimitrievski was called into action earlier on to deny Joshua Kimmich from a narrow angle. The Macedonian goalkeeper was to remain busy for the duration of the game, with his own team relying on counter-attacks.
But Germany’s lack of precision meant the game remained scoreless at the break, despite 14 goal attempts in the first half.
Timo Werner went closest before the break when he hit the left post.
Havertz finally broke the deadlock in the 50th, when Serge Gnabry sent Thomas Müller through. Müller laid the ball off for the better-placed Havertz to shoot past Dimitrievski.
Werner made it 2-0 in the 70th, then grabbed his second three minutes later. There was still time for Musiala to become Germany’s second-youngest goalscorer, age 18 years, 227 days.
Meanwhile, Memphis Depay scored twice, had two assists and missed a penalty as the Netherlands overpowered Gibraltar 6-0 to remain top of Group G.
Second-placed Norway, playing without injured striker Erling Haaland, beat Montenegro 2-0 to remain two points adrift of the Dutch, and Burak Yılmaz scored the winner from the penalty spot deep in second-half stoppage time as Turkey beat Latvia 2-1 in Riga.
Depay put his disappointing club season at Barcelona behind him with a productive night at De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam against one of the world’s football minnows. His first goal of the night was his 13th of the year for Oranje, breaking the Dutch record of 12 in a calendar year by Patrick Kluivert.
Depay’s 21st-minute strike after a pass from Davy Klaassen came just two minutes after Gibraltar goalkeeper Bradley Banda marked his international debut by saving the striker’s first penalty of the night. Depay made no mistake with his second spot kick to put the Dutch 3-0 up in first-half stoppage time. Selected results: Estonia 0 Wales 1; Slovenia 1 Russia 2; Croatia 2 Slovakia 2; Norway 2 Montenegro 0.