Comeback, dream goal, blow to the neck
DFB juniors are in the World Cup final after a semi-final thriller
November 28, 2023, 11:54 a.m
The German U17 national team is in the final of the World Cup! The DFB team turns the semi-final against Argentina after being behind at half-time. When the finals already seem certain, there is a late blow in the neck. But then the German team hits back again.
From bad boy to World Cup hero: Paris Brunner dramatically shot the German U17 footballers into the final of the World Cup in Indonesia. The Dortmund player scored the last shot in the 4-2 penalty shootout against Argentina; he had already scored a brace in regular time. After a spectacular 90 minutes the score was 3:3 (1:2).
The second match winner was goalkeeper Konstantin Heide, who stepped in between the posts at short notice for the ill Max Schmitt and saved twice in the penalty shootout. The opponent in the final on Saturday (1 p.m. CET/Sky) will be either the European Championship runners-up France or Mali.
Even the regular playing time in Surakarta was like a thriller: after goals from Brunner (9th/58th) and Max Moerstedt from Hoffenheim (69th), the German team led 3-2 for a long time, before Agustin Ruberto took over in the seventh minute of stoppage time his eighth goal of the tournament forced the immediate decision from the point. The young star had already ensured Argentina’s half-time lead (36th/45th + 4).
Brunner becomes a hero
The 17-year-old Brunner had already made the decision in the quarter-finals against Spain (1-0). Before the tournament, he caused negative headlines with a suspension “for disciplinary reasons” from BVB. Wück nominated him anyway, and the strong dribbling attacker repaid the trust.
With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees, there was almost a cold shower right at the start of the game: after just ten seconds, Claudio Echeverri appeared free in front of goalkeeper Konstantin Heide, who had moved in between the posts at short notice for the sick Max Schmitt. Echeverri, who was already celebrated as the “new Messi”, only hit the side netting.
First a youth title for the DFB
The DFB team struggled briefly – and struck coldly. Brunner strolled through the penalty area and finished with his left from a tight angle – with the kind help of goalkeeper Jeremias Florentin. The 10,000 spectators were now offered the best entertainment. The equalizer was more and more in the air: goalkeeper Heide made a spectacular save in his first U17 international game since September 2022 (22nd), but was then powerless against Ruberto twice.
But the DFB team showed morale and equalized after the break with Brunner’s fourth goal of the tournament. Shortly afterwards, Moerstedt even headed in to take the lead, but the spectacular end was yet to come.
The U17 is only the fourth German U-team in a World Cup final: the U20 team lost in 1987, as did the U16 team two years earlier. The U20 team won their only youth title to date in 1981 with players like Rüdiger Vollborn, Michael Zorc, Ralf Loose and Roland Wohlfarth. The opponent in the final on Saturday is either France or Mali.