After Belgium last night, we now have another confirmed 2018 World Cup participant.
The Stuttgart crowd was given a proper football feast by Joachim Loew’s men tonight as Germany stomped over Norway with a 6-0 victory to maintain their perfect record in the qualifying stage.
Die Mannschaft booked their Russian visa and they’ve done it in compelling fashion as they were always in full control of the match, never putting a single foot wrong against the distressed Norwegians.
Our in-depth match reports can be found down below:
Team News & Form Guide
Joachim Loew made a couple of changes to his team that beat Czech Republic on Friday, just as he said we would. Julian Draxler was reintroduced to the starting line-up, whereas Rudy partnered Kroos in the midfield. Rudiger came in for Ginter, whereas Sami Khedira was deemed unfit for the starting role at the Mercedes Arena.
Norway head coach Lagerback also chose to ring a couple of changes to the side that beat Kazakhstan 2-0 three days ago. Ellabdellaoui earned a spot in the starting line-up after coming off from the bench last time out for Svensson at right back, whereas Selnaes was chosen in front of Johansen for a place in the midfield. King maintained his place in the attack, while it was Berget who was Lagerback’s preferred choice to Sorloth.
The two rivals headed into the Monday’s match in contrasting forms. Die Mannschaft won all of their seven World Cup qualifiers, in compelling fashion as well with the 33-2 goal difference. Norway travelled to Germany to take on the reigning world champions on the back of a rather inconsistent stretch which saw them win only two and lose four of their qualifiers thus far.
First Half
Knowing that a win would guarantee them a place in the World Cup final showpiece Germany wasted no time into putting things in their right place at the Mercedes Arena in Stuttgart.
It only took hosts ten minutes to open the scoring and announce what turned out to be a huge-margin triumph for Loew’s men. Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil showed trademark awareness inside the box as he latched on a wonderful pass to fire Germany in front with a remarkable first-time shot inside the left post.
Seven minutes later Germany doubled the lead through PSG star Julian Draxler. The Germany international got on the receiving end of a pass inside the area to fire the ball into the left corner, leaving Rune Jarstein helpless.
Those who have watched Germany at least once by now know it’s not in their nature to slow down and get complacent after a comfortable lead, quite the contrary. Die Mannschaft refused to lift the foot from the pedal and made it 3-0 after only 21 minutes when Thomas Muller send a pass to Timo Werner for an easy, open-goal finish.
The same player made it 4-0 twenty minutes later when he once again pounced on a Thomas Muller pass with a close-range header which flashed past Rune Jarnstein for a compelling first-half result.
Second Half
We feel bad no to have mentioned Norway in our match report yet, but in all honesty there was nothing to report of since the visitors struggle to put one foot right for the most part of the match in Stuttgart.
Things appeared to have changed in the second half when Germany allowed a bit more space to their rivals but it came only once Die Mannschaft made sure to score the fifth goal of the night.
It was five minutes after the break when Julian Draxler picked out Leon Goretzka inside the box with a precise lofted cross and for an easy close-range header. Blame goes to Norway back line who stood like cones in front of their goalkeeper, leaving him completely exposed and vulnerable.
Noirway largely failed to match the liveliness and mobility of the German side, never quite managing to offer a competitive angle in a match that proved to be nothing but a shooting training session for Joachim Loew’s men.
Germany outmatched their rivals completely, outrunning them as well and ruining them completely on the tactical side of things.
The closing stages of the match produced a slightly slower pace yet Germany always looked for ways to add a couple of more goals to the tally. They did manage to add one with eleven minutes until the final whistle through the second-half substitute Mario Gomez.
Joshua Kimmich broke through on the right and sent a superb cross into the bos for Gomez, who latched on it with a diving header from close range and planted the ball inside Rune Jarstein’s net.
And that concluded the perfect night for Germany who are now officially secured their place in the final tournament in Russia next summer.
Statistical Overview
- Germany dominated possession with 69% to Norway’s 31%
- Loew’s men fired 26 goals attempts to Norway’s 5
- Mesut Ozil scored his first Germany goal in more than a year
- Julian Draxler bagged on his first start of the season
- Timo Werner has now scored 6 goals in 8 international matches
GERMANY: ter Stegen 6.5 – Kimmich 7.5, Rudiger 7, Hummels 7, Hector 7.5 – Rudy 7 (Khedira 6.5) – Muller 8 (Goretzka 7.5), Kroos 7.5, Ozil 8, Draxler 8 – Wrner 8.5 (Gomez 7.5).
Unused subs: Brandt, Can, Ginter, Henrichs, Leno, Stindl, Sule, Trapp, Younes.
NORWAY: Jarstein 5.5 – Elabdellaoui 6, Nordtveit 5.5, Skjelvik 5.5, Aleesami 6 – Elyonoussi 5.5 (Svensson 5.5), Berge 5.5 (Valsvik 5), Selnaes 5.5 (Linnes, Daehli 6 – King 5, Berget 5.
Unused subs: Elyououssi T., Grytebust, Hansen, Johansen, Johnsen, Meling, Rosted, Sorloth, Trondsen.
REFEREE: Gediminas Mazeika
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