Bundesliga
Flick's Germany stay perfect in Armenia
Borussia Mönchengladbach's Jonas Hofmann scored one and made another as Germany maintained their perfect start under Hansi Flick with a comfortable 4-1 win away to Armenia in their final 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Armenia 1-4 Germany
Goals: 0-1 Havertz 15' (assist: Hofmann), 0-2 Gündogan (pen. 45'+4), 0-3 Gündogan 50' (assist: Müller), 1-3 Mkhitaryan (pen. 59'), 1-4 Hofmann (64')
Already assured of their place at the 2022 World Cup, Germany dominated proceedings from the get-go in Yerevan. Thomas Müller, winning his 110th senior cap, sent a cross-shot at Armenia debutant goalkeeper Stanislav Buchnev, before Kai Havertz directed an inch-perfect Leroy Sane pass against the woodwork. Havertz made his second chance count with 15 minutes gone when Müller and Hofmann combined to set up the former Bayer Leverkusen man for a deft first-time finish. Buchnev kept out further attempts from Florian Neuhaus and Sane, but was powerless to prevent Ilkay Gündogan adding a second from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after Neuhaus had been upended by Taron Voskanyan.
Germany picked up where they left off as Havertz shot wide within seconds of the restart. Gündogan then doubled his tally with a speculative shot that slipped through the hands of Buchnev. After Khoren Bayramyan shot into the side netting, Armenia capped a fleeting spell of possession with a consolation penalty through former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan. That only served to poke the bear, though, as Havertz lashed wide before Hofmann pounced on a mistake by Mkhitaryan and finished with aplomb. Substitutes Maximilian Arnold and Lukas Nmecha went close to a fifth as Germany breezed to their seventh straight win of the Flick era.
Match stats
- Germany were the first team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup. They finish top of Group J on 27 points from a possible 30.
- Die Mannschaft have won all five of their meetings with Armenia, and have never lost an away game in World Cup qualifying.
- Sane has scored four and assisted two since Flick replaced Joachim Löw as coach.
- Hofmann marked his 10th senior international with his second Germany goal.
- Serge Gnabry, Timo Werner and Gündogan were Germany's five-goal top scorers in qualifying.
- Mkhitaryan had 41 goals and 49 assists in 140 games in all competitions for Dortmund before leaving for Manchester United in 2016.
Line-ups
Armenia: Buchnev - Terteryan, Haroyan, Calisir, Voskanyan - Bayramyan (Zelarayan 69'), Udo (A. Grigoryan 84'), Spersyan, Margaryan - Mkhitaryan (c) (N. Grigoryan 76') - Adamyan (Briasco 69')
Unused subs: Yurchenko, Beglaryan, Wbeymar, Zelarayan, Avanesian, K. Hovhannisyan, Hambartsumyan, Karapetyan
Out: -
Coach: Joaquin Caparros
Germany: ter Stegen - Tah, Ginter, Kehrer – Hofmann (Baku 83'), Neuhaus (Volland 73'), Gündogan (Arnold 60'), Raum – Sane (Brandt 60'), Havertz – Müller (c) (Nmecha 60')
Unsued subs: Trapp, Leno, Günter
Out: Adeyemi (not included), Draxler (muscular), Gnabry (not included), Kimmich (not included), Musiala (not included), Schlotterbeck (thigh), Süle (not included), Wirtz (hip)
Coach: Hansi Flick
As it happened!
1 - 4(0 - 2)
Armenia
FINAL
Germany
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SEVEN OUT OF SEVEN
Germany end 2021 with a seventh straight win of the Flick era. The result was never in any doubt today - they finish top of Group J with 27 points from a possible 30. Roll on Qatar 2022!
89'
vs
TIME ADDED ON
One minute for Armenia to endure. They'll be watching Germany from afar at next winter's World Cup finals in Qatar...
83'
vs
NMECHA!
He scored the winner in the U21 Euro final this summer, but Wolfsburg's Nmecha will have to wait a while longer for his first senior Germany goal. The Wolfsburg striker collects a pass from Havertz, but shoots wide.
84'
vs
Artak Grigoryan
Solomon Udo
83'
vs
HOFMANN IMPRESSES ONCE MORE
Hofmann appears to have moved ahead of Baku in the pecking order as Flick's preferred right-sided defender, despite both being attacking players by trade. The Gladbach man's been on fire this season.
83'
vs
Ridle Baku
Jonas Hofmann
80'
vs
HEY, ARNOLD!
The substiutes combine as Brandt feeds Arnold for a vicious shot Buchnev can't keep a hold of. Germany chasing a fifth goal in the closing stages...
76'
vs
Narek Grigoryan
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
73'
vs
Kevin Volland
Florian Neuhaus
68'
vs
Norberto Briasco
Sargis Adamyan
68'
vs
Lucas Zelarayan
Khoren Bayramyan
68'
vs
Maximilian Arnold
64'
vs
GREAT HASSLE BY THE HOF!
Germany's high press forces the error as Mkhitaryan misplaces a pass out from the back. Hofmann picks it off and confidently slots into the bottom corner.
62'
vs
WIDE!
Hofmann feeds Havertz on the edge of the Armenia area, but he can't find the target with his low shot. Armenia have poked the bear...
60'
vs
Maximilian Arnold
Ilkay Gündogan
60'
vs
Julian Brandt
Leroy Sané
60'
vs
Lukas Nmecha
Thomas Müller
59'
vs
ARMENIA PULL ONE BACK!
Moments after Bayramyan tickles the side netting, the hosts win a penalty. Neuhaus is the culprit for a foul on Terteryan, and ex-Dortmund midfielder Mkhitaryan thrashes the ensuing spot-kick down the middle.
50'
vs
THREEASY PEASY!
Müller finds Gündogan, who chances his arm from range. Buchnev makes a complete mess of it, and Germany have a third. Expect to see that on a Bloopers compilation.
47'
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HAVERTZ!
Germany pick up where they left off as Havertz cuts inside and whips an effort just wide.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +4
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GÜNDY ON THE SPOT!
Gündogan sinks a penalty for the second game in a row, sending the Armenia stopper the wrong way. Germany cruising to a seventh straight win of the Flick era...
44'
vs
GERMANY PENALTY!
Voskanyan doesn't appear to get any of the ball as he challenges Neuhaus in the box. Following a VAR review, the referee points to the penalty spot...
34'
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SET-PIECE THREAT
Armenia do not like these Germant corners. If it's not Gündogan, it's Hofmann. The latter picks out Kehrer, who heads over.
27'
vs
OVER!
Adamyan does manage to get the ball in the Germany area. He flicks into the path of Spertsyan, who balloons over. Armenia might not get a better chance!
23'
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CHANCES
Buchnev is forced into evasive action at the feet of Neuhaus after Armenia failed to clear a Gündogan corner. Sane then goes in on goal, but the Armenia keeper is out to block the Bayern attacker's poked effort. A second goal is incoming...
19'
vs
TOTAL CONTROL
An early lead and 80 percent possession - Flick's Germany are in the mood once again...
15'
vs
GERMANY LEAD!
A goal made in the Bundesliga as Gladbach's Jonas Hofmann combines with Muller, before sweeping a ball into the box for ex-Leverkusen man Kai Havertz to turn home with the deftest of touches. It had been coming...
12'
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LONE FURROW
It's shaping up to be a lonely stint at the head of the Armenia attack for Hoffenheim's Sargis Adamyan. A lot of back-tracking, but precious little else.
5'
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WOODWORK!
Leroy Sane puts on the after-burners and tears clear down the left. His cross is straight onto the boot of Havertz, whose first-time effort from six yards strikes the upright.
2'
vs
MÜLLER!
Germany immediately on the offensive as Müller collects Ginter's pass and tests Armenia goalkeeper Buchnev. He didn't catch it quite right, though, to trouble the debutant stopper.
1'
vs
UNDER WAY!
The ball's rolling in Yerevan. Will Germany maintain their perfect start under Flick?
0 - 0
Kick-off!
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TEAMS OUT
Here they come! It's national anthem time. Kick-off is imminent...
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HIT FOR SIX
Serge Gnabry scored twice as Germany thrashed Armenia 6-0 in the reverse fixture. Marco Reus, Timo Werner, Jonas Hofmann and Karim Adeyemi were also on target in what was Flick's second match in charge.
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FLICK WARY OF ARMENIA
"Armenia had one or two players suspended during their defeat to North Macedonia," Germany's head coach said at his pre-match press conference. "It's their last home game and we all know how motivating it can be when you're playing against a big side. They can put that defeat to North Macedonia right with a good performance against us. In any case, we showed what quality we possess in our last match. So we want to pick up the three points and end the year with a win."
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DESTINATION QATAR
Germany punched their ticket to the finals with two games to spare, becoming the first European nation to do so. Brazil, Denmark, France, Belgium and Croatia have since secured qualification.
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SEVENTH HEAVEN?
Flick has won his first six games as Germany boss, surpassing his predecessor Joachim Löw's national record for the best start as Bundestrainer. Germany have scored 27 and conceded just one goal on the former Bayern Munich coach's watch.
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MORE ON THOSE TEAMS
Hansi Flick makes five changes to the side that thrashed Liechtenstein 9-0 earlier in the week. Marc-Andre her Stegen starts in goal, with Matthias Ginter, Jonathan Tah and David Raum coming into the defence. Florian Neuhaus gets a run-out in midfield, while Kai Havertz returns from suspension in attack. Thomas Müller captains the side in the absence of Manuel Neuer.
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GERMANY SUBS:
Trapp, Leno, Günter, Baku, Volland, Arnold, L. Nmecha, Brandt
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CONFIRMED GERMANY LINE-UP:
ter Stegen - Tah, Ginter, Kehrer – Hofmann, Neuhaus, Gundogan, Raum – Sane, Havertz – Müller (c)