Perfect balance under Flick: DFB rump team also overwhelmed Armenia

Perfect balance under Flick
DFB rump team also overwhelmed Armenia

The German national soccer team will close the year 2021 successfully: In the last game of the World Cup qualification against Armenia, the team of coach Hansi Flick is clearly superior to the opponent. This continues its impressive series.

The German national team finished the World Cup qualification with a B-Eleven and with the 4: 1 (2: 0) at the Qatar casting in Armenia further expanded the impressive start record of national coach Hansi Flick. Kai Havertz (15th) gave the guests the lead with the 2222nd goal in the 985th game in German international history. İlkay Gündoğan (45th + 4, penalty after video evidence and 50th) and Jonas Hofmann (64th) scored the other goals in Yerevan in the weakened selection of the German Football Association (DFB), which takes a lot of tailwind into the World Cup year. The four-time world champion last achieved seven wins in a row from June to October 2017. The ex-Dortmund Henrich Mchitarjan (59th, foul penalty) provided the second goal under Flick.

The national coach was forced to improvise because a dozen players from the original squad were no longer available due to injuries, suspensions, corona quarantines and stress control. Reservists like Matthias Ginter, Florian Neuhaus and Jonathan Tah were given a chance to prove themselves. “You can draw attention to yourself. We’ll take a closer look,” Flick announced before kick-off.

His team started out dominantly. After a cross pass from Leroy Sané, Havertz only hit the outside post from close range (5th). Against low hosts, the DFB selection was always dangerous when they increased the pace and quickly combined. The opening goal was preceded by a one-two between Hofmann and substitute captain Thomas Müller, Havertz refined the attack worth seeing.

The guests also had a lot of possession afterwards. In the build-up of the game, Flick relied on a row of three, which then became a back four if the ball was lost. This was only required for the occasional counterattack of the Armenians around top star Mchitarjan. Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen spent a long evening as a representative of the spared Manuel Neuer.

Meanwhile, the favorite was pushing for the second goal. However, Sané failed twice to goalkeeper Stanislaw Buchnew (23rd, 26th). As a result, the DFB team found it increasingly difficult to find gaps. Not much came from the attacking left side in particular. Gündoğan and Neuhaus also made a few slight ball losses at headquarters.

Nevertheless, the DFB team increased before the break. After a one-two with Müller, Neuhaus was fouled in the penalty area, but the French referee Francois Letexier only decided on a penalty after viewing the video images. Gündoğan, whistled by the Armenian fans because of his Turkish roots, surely transformed, as in the victory over Liechtenstein (9-0).

Even after the change, it usually only went in one direction. On his second goal, Gündoğan benefited from a big mistake by Buchnew, who let his harmless 20-meter shot pass. After that, some lack of concentration crept into the German game. Neuhaus also caused a penalty. Mchitarjan did not miss the chance. Despite the goal, Flick took Müller, Sané and Gündoğan off the field to spare. Hofmann crowned his good performance shortly afterwards.

For those responsible, there are two more appointments this year. On December 16, the Nations League groups will be drawn in Montreux / Switzerland. Flick and DFB director Oliver Bierhoff will also go to Qatar to look for accommodation before Christmas. “We are making sure that we can offer the team good conditions,” said Flick, calling for “good training conditions and short distances to the training grounds”.

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