Bundesliga
Germany put nine past Liechtenstein
Bayern Munich duo Leroy Sane and Thomas Müller both scored twice as Germany ran out comfortable 9-0 winners over 10-man Liechtenstein in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Wolfsburg.
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.
Match stats
- 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
9 - 0(4 - 0)
Germany
FINAL
Liechtenstein
89'
vs
ANOTHER OWN GOAL
Good header from Göppel as he gets onto a Baku cross. Unfortunately it was into his own net.
89'
vs
Max Göppel
OWNGOAL!
9:086'
vs
TWO FOR THE RAUMDEUTER
He doesn't do pretty goals but he just puts them away. A rebound comes out to the feet of the Bayern forward, he puts his boot through it. It takes a deflection off two defenders, off the underside of the bar and in.
83'
vs
Martin Büchel
Aron Sele
83'
vs
Daniel Brändle
Sandro Wolfinger
80'
vs
SEVENTH HEAVEN FROM BAKU
Probably the best of the night as Baku cuts inside on his left foot and he bends one perfectly into the far top corner for his maiden international goal in his third game for Germany - and on his home ground of course!
79'
vs
CROSSBAR FROM VOLLAND!
The substitute wants in on the act as he turns a header from 15 yards towards goal but only onto the crossbar. Wouldn't have counted in any case as the flag went up.
76'
vs
HALF DOZEN
A wry smile between two Bavarians as Müller pinches a goal off Neuhaus, whose header was going in after a goal-line save from a corner. The Bayern man simply wanted to leave nothing to chance as he tapped in his 41st international goal.
75'
vs
SECOND SHOT
Liechtenstein register their second attempt of the game through Sandro Wolfinger down the right. Going wide but Neuer grabs it anyway.
72'
vs
Matthias Ginter
Thilo Kehrer
69'
vs
Rafael Grünenfelder
Dennis Salanovic
69'
vs
Livio Meier
Fabio Wolfinger
64'
vs
ARNOLD ON
A particularly loud roar goes up around the Volkswagen Arena for one of their own (in fact, their record appearance maker in the Bundesliga) as Maxi Arnold comes on for only his second senior cap - seven years after his first. It means all three Wolfsburg players in the squad are on the pitch on their home ground. There will also be no hat-trick for Sane as he's also cheered when making way for Volland.
64'
vs
Kevin Volland
Leroy Sane
64'
vs
Maximilian Arnold
Ilkay Güngodan
63'
vs
GUNDO HITS IT
The scorer of the first has a crack from 20+ yards but it's straight at a grateful Büchel.
58'
vs
SANE DENIED
He's looking for that hat-trick but is twice denied by Büchel down at his right-hand post.
56'
vs
NMECHA OFF THE POST!
The ball bounces around the Liechtenstein box before finally sitting for Nmecha, who wraps his foot around it at waist height but is denied a debut goal by the right post.
49'
vs
SANE'S SECOND
The ball comes across from the right and Sane is able to get his shot away unchallenged. It's going for the near bottom corner, Müller has to jump over it in front of the goalkeeper. VAR checks whether he was offside but no damage done and Sane has his 11th international goal.
46'
vs
NMECHA DEBUT
The Wolfsburg striker comes on for his first senior cap on his home ground.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
45' +4
vs
Lukas Nmecha
Jonas Hofmann
45' +4
vs
Florian Neuhaus
Leon Goretzka
0 - 0
Half-time
45'
vs
ADDED TIME
Three minutes onto the end of the first half.
44'
vs
GORETZKA...
He gets the ball out of his feet and hits a sweet effort from 25 yards with no options in front of him, but it's well over the bar.
40'
vs
IT COUNTS AS A SHOT
Aron Sele has a go from a good 30 yards, firing well wide. Liechtenstein's first shot in the statistics.
38'
vs
RÜDIGER SUSPENDED
The defender is cautioned for using his arms in going up for a header and he'll miss the final qualifier in Armenia next week.
38'
vs
Antonio Rüdiger
34'
vs
SANE OVER
The Bayern man gets up for a header but puts it into the ground and it bounces over. Germany have taken their foot off the gas a bit, but it's still one-way traffic.
29'
vs
Fabio Wolfinger
Yanik Frick
27'
vs
OH, AND HIM
Manuel Neuer has come to the halfway line to get a touch of the ball. That might be his first of the game.
23'
vs
AND IT'S FOUR FROM REUS
Sane is beaten to a chipped ball by the goalkeeper but it falls kindly for Reus to put into the empty net.
22'
vs
LIKE BUTTER
Reus with the flick round the corner, Goretzka with the first time pass through the defence and into the run of Sane, who finishes across the goalkeeper for Germany's third.
20'
vs
2-0 FOR GERMANY
A first international assist for Freiburg captain Christian Günter as he fizzes in a low cross into the six-yard box and Daniel Kaufmann can only turn it into his own net.
20'
vs
Daniel Kaufmann
OWNGOAL!
2:018'
vs
HOFMANN!
Now the right-back has a crack from 20 yards that's fisted away. If we're being honest, he's only been a right-back in name so far tonight, spending most of the time in the attacking third.
16'
vs
BAKU!
Sane heads a ball down, Baku takes it on his chest before a left-footed volley on the edge of the box, but it's straight at the keeper.
13'
vs
REUS!
The Dortmund captain finds space in the box and gets the ball out of his feet to the right of goal. A powerful effort but Büchel gets a strong left hand to it.
9'
vs
GORETZKA UP
Hofer meant no malice and didn't even see Goretzka, but it's a red any day of the week and the Liechtenstein man goes over to apologise as the pair make their way off the pitch.
9'
vs
Jens Hofer