Germany put nine past Liechtenstein

Germany 9-0 Liechtenstein
Goals: 1-0 Gündogan (pen, 11’), 2-0 Kaufmann (og, 20’), 3-0 Sane (22’), 4-0 Reus (23’), 5-0 Sane (49’), 6-0 Müller (76’), 7-0 Baku (80’), 8-0 Müller (86’), 9-0 Göppel (og, 89’)
Red card: Hofer (9’)

Germany were awarded a penalty inside the first 10 minutes when Jens Hofer’s high boot caught Leon Goretzka in the box. The Liechtenstein defender was sent off before Ilkay Gündogan put away the spot-kick. The visitors held out another 10 minutes before a triple blow from the 2014 world champions. Daniel Kaufmann turned Freiburg captain Christian Günter’s cross into his own goal to double the hosts’ advantage in Wolfsburg. Moments later, Sane added a third when he finished off a one-touch move from Marco Reus and Goretzka. The Borussia Dortmund captain then got one himself only a minute afterwards when he put away a loose ball after the goalkeeper failed to hold a cross ahead of Sane. Liechtenstein had just one shot, from over 30 yards, in the first half but it was well off target as Manuel Neuer remained a spectator at the Volkswagen Arena.

It was five for Die Mannschaft early in the second half when Sane latched onto a ball across the box and found the bottom corner, with Müller kindly jumping over the shot to give his Bayern teammate the glory. Half-time substitute Lukas Nmecha almost had a debut goal when he struck the outside of the post. With the intensity dropping, a third Wolfsburg player joined the fray on his home ground as Maximilian Arnold earned his second cap seven years after his third. Müller then brought up the half dozen when he helped a Florian Neuhaus header over the line. The best of the night came from Germany’s other Wolf, Ridle Baku, curled one into the far top corner on his weaker left foot. Müller then got his second with minutes to go, crashing in off the underside of the bar. It was nine before the night was out when Max Göppel headed into his own net. Already assured of their place in Qatar next winter, Germany have won eight of their nine games in Group J with one left to go in Armenia on Sunday.

• Flick has won his first six games as Germany boss, surpassing his predecessor Joachim Löw's national record for the best start as Bundestrainer.
• Sane has scored six goals in his last seven games for club and country.
• Müller overtook Jürgen Klinsmann into outright sixth for most appearances with Germany (109).
• Nmecha became the 18th Wolfsburg player to earn a cap for Germany. It was the first time three Wolves had been on the pitch for the national team.
• Die Mannschaft have scored in their last 29 World Cup qualifiers.
• Germany’s record against Liechtenstein in World Cup qualifying is now four wins from four, 21 scored and none conceded.

Line-ups

Germany: Neuer (c) – Hofmann (Nmecha 46’), Kehrer (Ginter 72'), Rüdiger, Günter – Gündogan (Arnold 64’), Goretzka (Neuhaus 46’) - Baku, Reus, Sane (Volland 64’) - Müller
Unused subs: Leno, Trapp, Draxler, Tah, Raum, Brandt
Out: Adeyemi (not included), Gnabry (not included), Havertz (suspended), Kimmich (not included), Musiala (not included), Schlotterbeck (thigh), Süle (not included), Wirtz (hip)
Coach: Hansi Flick

Liechtenstein: B. Büchel - S. Wolfinger (Brändle 83'), Malin, Kaufmann, Hofer, Göppel - Sele (M. Büchel 83'), Frommelt, Hasler (c) – Salanovic (Grünenfelder 69’), Y. Frick (F. Wolfinger 29’ (Meier 69’))
Unused subs: Majer, Lo Russo, Kardesoglu, N. Frick, Yildiz, Spirig, Kollmann
Out: Mart. Marxer (suspended), Ospelt (knee)
Coach: Martin Stocklasa

As it happened