Germany celebrate scoring against Mexico
Germany cruised into the final of the Confederations Cup after a comfortable 4-1 win over Mexico, thanks to two goals from Leon Goretzka and strikes by Timo Werner and Amin Younes.
Mexico looked nervy from the off and a confident German side took full advantage, scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes to stamp their authority on the game.
Benjamin Henrichs out wide on the right picked out Goretzka who made a fine run and guided the ball first time into the far corner, to open the scoring after just eight minutes.
Goretzka at the double
Less than two minutes later and Goretzka had his, and Germany’s, second of the game. Again Mexico were carved open, this time by Werner, who slid in the midfielder who finished calmly again.
It was Goretzka’s third goal of the tournament and another example of why he seems to be in such demand this summer.
Ten minutes later and Germany might have had a third, Werner sent scampering through on goal but unable to beat Guillermo Ochoa in the Mexico goal.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic however, and Mexico had chances to get back into the game before half-time.
Just after the half hour mark, Giovani dos Santos robbed a dawdling Julian Draxler before firing wide and a minute later he went close again, forcing Marc-André ter Stegen to parry his effort, with Jonathan unable to capitalise on the loose ball.
Hernandez goes close
Javier Hernandez then got in on the act, after Dos Santos has slipped him in, he flicked the ball past his defender but could only touch the ball over the bar under pressure from an onrushing Ter Stegen.
The second half started with chances for both sides, Jimenez firing at Ter Stegen before Werner racing into the box, appeared to get a push from Moreno, which was ignored by the referee and enough to see him scuff his shot across goal.
Moments later and Germany did have their third, with a beautifully worked goal. Draxler drifted inside and found Hector who squared it for Werner to tap into an empty net.
Mexico continued to fight, Fabian firing into the side-netting and Layun stinging Ter Stegen’s palms with a fierce shot.
Frantic finale
With 15 minutes to go, they went closer still, Jimenez heading past Ter Stegen from Lozano’s cross, but agonisingly onto the crossbar as Mexico were denied again.
El Tri continued to press until the final whistle and finally got their reward in stunning style with just minutes to go, Fabian lashing home an absolute thunderbolt that gave Ter Stegen no chance.
With Mexico hoping for a miracle, Germany showed their ruthlessness once again, hitting back almost immediately. Can fed Younes who slotted home the fourth, to confirm a place in Sunday’s final against Chile.
Germany: ter Stegen 7, Henrichs 8, Kimmich 7, Ginter 7, Rudiger 6, Hector 7.5 (Brandt 6), Rudy 7, Goretzka 8.5 (Can 7), Stindl 7, Draxler 8 (Younes 7), Werner 8.
Unused subs: Trapp, Mustafi, Plattenhardt, Wagner, Demirbay, Can, Sule, Sane, Demme, Leno.
Mexico: Ochoa 6, Araujo 6.5, Alanis 5, Moreno 5, Layun 6, Giovani dos Santos 7 (Fabian 7), Herrera 6, Jonathan dos Santos 5 (Marquez 6), Aquino 6 (Lozano 7), Jimenez 6, Javier Hernandez 6.
Unused subs: Cota Robles, Salcedo, Diego Reyes, Vela, Damm, Guardado, Peralta, Luis Reyes, Talavera.
Referee: Nestor Pitana
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