football
The German national team celebrated a victory in the first game after Qatar’s World Cup defeat. The selection of national coach Hansi Flick won the first test match of the year 2-0 (2-0) against Peru in front of almost 25,000 spectators in Mainz on Saturday evening. Werder Bremen’s striker Niclas Füllkrug (12′, 33′), who scored his first brace in DFB dress, scored the two goals.
114 days after the end of the World Cup, Flick sent his team into the game with three debutants. The first goal, however, was an interaction between two players who were also present in Qatar. Kai Havertz put his chest down for Füllkrug, who shot in. Then Dortmund’s Marius Wolf provided the exemplary preparatory work to make it 2-0 with a Stangl pass in his first DFB international match. For Füllkrug it was the fifth goal in the fifth international match.
At the break, Flick brought in three new players in Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry and Mario Götze. After a strong first half, the German game faltered a bit. In the 67th minute, Kai Havertz failed with a penalty kick when he only hit the post. Gnabry hit the bar spectacularly with a side pull (68th). Germany’s victory was never in danger against the limited Peruvians. On Tuesday, the DFB-Elf meets Belgium in the next test in Cologne.
“It was about getting the international season off to a good start, getting the fans involved a bit, and I think the first half was really good,” said Füllkrug. It was a “sovereign” victory. “Great atmosphere, I think the people were happy to see the national team again,” said goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. “We played a good game, especially in the first half. Captain Joshua Kimmich said the second half was “a bit torn up”.