Perfect start for the national team into the European Championship year. The rebuilt team won 2-0 against top favorites France. Wirtz scores the fastest DFB goal in history.03/23/2024 | 9:34 minRestart successful: With a consistently strong performance, the German national soccer team won the European Championship test match against France in Lyon 2-0. The goals were scored by Florian Wirtz (1st minute) and Kai Havertz (49th).
Florian Wirtz scores after eight seconds
The German team took the lead with the fastest goal in their international history: returnee Toni Kroos fed Florian Wirtz from the kick-off. The Leverkusen player dribbled a few steps towards the French goal and surprised the opponent with a 20-meter shot that hit the goal after eight seconds of play.
After the game, Kroos explained that the move to make it 1-0 was planned in exactly the same way: “The standard coaches had enough time, four months, to think of something,” he said on ZDF:
You could say that this was actually planned.
Toni Kroos to Florian Wirtz’s lightning goal
Wirtz did “sensationally” well. “An outstanding shot,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann. With his goal, Wirtz replaced record holder Lukas Podolski, who scored after nine seconds in the game against Ecuador in May 2013.
Ter Stegen reigns brilliantly
For the next 15 minutes, Germany remained in control before the French became increasingly stronger. They had their best chance to date in the 25th minute when Kylian Mbappe tried to surprise goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen with a lob from close range, but ter Stegen responded brilliantly.
The German team also got off to a dream start in the second half. First, Kai Havertz aimed past from the half-left position (47th). Two minutes later he completed a move staged by Wirtz and dribbling artist Jamal Musiala to make it 2-0 (49th).
From then on, Germany dominated the game, showed a lot of wit and hardly allowed their opponents any space for scoring opportunities. Things only became dangerous in the 55th minute when Ousmane Dembélé shot just past the far corner from 20 meters.
Big compliment to the team. The first 25 minutes were very, very good. We improved again in the second half. I’m very, very happy with the way we played. That was a top game.”
Julian Nagelsmann (national coach)
Keeper Samba prevents anything worse for France
Towards the end of the game, the hosts were able to thank their goalkeeper Brice Samba that the defeat was not even worse. In the 79th minute he deflected a shot from DFB debutant Maximilian Mittelstädt towards a corner.
Two minutes later, Samba had to do it twice: First, he parried from a corner against Thomas Müller, who had since been substituted. In the follow-up, Chris Führich passed to Deniz Undav, whose 20-meter shot was blocked with one hand by Samba. Führich and Undav also came off the bench.
Rüdiger prevents Mittelstädt’s own goal
In the end, the French were still close to a goal, but Antonio Rüdiger saved with an artistic effort just before the line and was lucky that he hit the crossbar (88th). Mittelstädt took a particularly deep breath; it would have been his own goal.
Nobody hid, everyone dared to get the ball. That made it easy to play between the lines.
Kai Havertz
The German game looked much improved thanks to Kroos’ overview, with Robert Andrich filling the holes next to him. “Toni Kroos was unbelievable. He set the pace and worked incredibly hard. He gives the other players so much security,” praised Nagelsmann on ZDF.
German defense with occasional problems
During the French’s short strong phase, central defenders Antonio Rüdiger and Jonathan Tah made several saves in dire need. Maximilian Mittelstädt had problems on the left side of defense against the fast ex-Dortmund player Ousmane Dembele, but was expressly praised by Kroos: “When I see Maxi Mittelstädt, how calmly he did it in his first international match, that is absolutely outstanding.”
On the other hand, Joshua Kimmich occasionally ran after Kylian Mbappe – which didn’t change the fact that DFB sports director Rudi Völler saw “some of the best we’ve played in recent years.”
Nagelsmann’s international match record
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