Bundesliga
Kimmich at the double in big win
The Bayern Munich veteran and Germany captain showed off his scoring touch as Germany ran riot over Luxembourg in a superb showing in Sinsheim that brings them a little closer to World Cup qualification.
Germany 4-0 Luxembourg
Goals: 1-0 Raum 12', 2-0 Kimmich 22' (pen.), 3-0 Gnabry 48' (assist: Adeyemi), 4-0 Kimmich 50'
Red card: Carlson 20'
With Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi named in a fierce-looking attack, the hosts heeded Julian Nagelsmann's pre-match call to put in an impassioned showing by pressing forward from the word go.
Nick Woltemade deflected a Serge Gnabry effort into the net after just three minutes, but as the ball bounced off the former VfB Stuttgart striker's upper arm, it was disallowed for handball.
RB Leipzig's David Raum then made the early pressure count when he curled a sumptuous free-kick into the bottom corner for his first international goal.
Bayern's Kimmich stepped up to double the lead midway through the first half after Dirk Carlson handled in the box to give away a spot kick and earn a red card - therefore putting Germany in complete command.
The chances kept on coming with Adeyemi and Gnabry both seeing opportunities to further extend the lead - but the advantage remained two at the break as the visitors switched into damage-limitation mode and defended deeply.
A seemingly inevitable third goal came shortly after the restart as Gnaby thundered a drive in from the right after being teed up by Adeyemi.
Just seconds after Luxembourg had resumed playing, the ball was in their net yet again as Kimmich completed his brace by pouncing on a loose ball at short range from a corner.
Florian Wirtz then hit a post from a free-kick as the only question that remained would be just how many goals Germany would smash in. Jonathan Burkardt had two good efforts in stoppage time, but it remained 4-0.
The win sends Germany top of their World Cup qualifying group but level on six points with both Northern Ireland, who they face next in Belfast on Monday, and Slovakia.
Match stats
- Kimmich now has ten international goals, with his first brace coming in his 104th appearance for Germany.
- In addition to his 32 Bundesliga and 40 Bundesliga 2 appearances, Brown, who made his international debut tonight and was previously eligible for the US, has turned out 14 times for Germany’s U21s.
- Gnabry has three goals after six rounds of fixtures in this season's Bundesliga.
- Nagelsmann’s record over his first 26 matches as Germany head coach reads: W14, D6, L6.
- Germany have a perfect record of four wins (previously 9-1, 3-2 and 4-0) in competitive meetings with Luxembourg. They’ve also won eight of nine friendlies (L1).
- The four-time world champions have only ever lost three World Cup qualifiers on home soil (to Portugal in 1985, England in 2001 and North Macedonia in 2021).
Teams
Germany: Baumann - Kimmich (c), Tah, Schlotterbeck (Anton 46'), Raum (Brown 82') - Goretzka, Pavlovic - Gnabry (Beier 68'), Wirtz, Adeyemi (Baku 61') - Woltemade (Burkardt 61')
Unused substitutes: Amiri, Andrich, Atubolu, Dahmen, Koch, Nmecha, Nübel, Schade, Schlotterback, Stiller
Out: Füllkrug (calf), Havertz (knee), Leweling (groin), Musiala (ankle), Rüdiger (hamstring)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Luxembourg: Moris - Jans (c), Mahmutovic, Korac, Carlson - Olesen (Dzogovic 87'), C. Martins (S. Thill 78') - Cruz (O. Thill 67'), L. Martins, Bohnert (Veiga 46'), Dardari (Selimovic, 67')
Unused substitutes: Cardoso, Muratovic, Fox, Avdusinovic, Curci, M. Martins
Out: Mica Pinto (unspecified)
Coach: Jeff Strasser
As it happened!
4 - 0(2 - 0)
Germany
FINAL
Luxembourg
90' +4
Burkardt misses a great chance
Kimmich chips in a delightful reverse pass that Burkardt can only head wide from close range. That should have been a goal. Luckily for the Frankfurt man, the flag is up.
90' +2
Good effort
Burkardt spins and shoots in the box, but his effort is well beaten away by Moris.
90'
Added time
Four minutes remaining of the game now.
89'
Wirtz almost finds a way through
The Liverpool man almost has his chance, but again he is stopped just before he can fire home.
87'
Kimmich finally has a new pair of shorts
After initially having his shorts stapled together, the Bayern man now seems to have been given a new pair to play in for the final few minutes.
87'
vs
Eldin Dzogovic
Mathias Olesen
86'
Almost magic from Wirtz
Wirtz picks up the ball on the edge of the box and skips past a couple of challenges before poking just wide. That was almost superb.
82'
vs
Nathaniel Brown
David Raum
81'
Kimmich needs new shorts
A bit of an odd moment here as Kimmich is instructed to leave the pitch to find a replacement pair of shorts. His current pair seem to have torn.
78'
vs
Sébastien Thill
Christopher Martins
75'
Baku fires over
A short corner is worked to Baku on the edge of the penalty area. The Leipzig man shoots first time, but can't control his effort on goal, and the ball flies high and wide.
68'
Almost a way through
A good cross from the right narrowly avoids the head of Burkardt; otherwise, that could have been the fifth.
72'
Tah down with a knock
The Bayern centre-back finds himself on the end of a slightly late tackle and requires some treatment, but he should be okay to continue.
68'
vs
Maximilian Beier
Serge Gnabry
67'
vs
Olivier Thill
Tomas Moreira
67'
vs
Vahid Selimovic
Aiman Dardari
62'
Wirtz strikes the post
Germany have a free-kick from a similar position to the goal from Raum in the first half, but this time Wirtz decides to have a go. The free-kick is superb, dipping over the wall with pace, but it strikes the wrong side of the post and bounces clear.
61'
vs
Jonathan Burkardt
Nick Woltemade
61'
vs
Ridle Baku
Karim Adeyemi
60'
vs
Christopher Martins
57'
Anton with a wild effort
The Dortmund defender decides he wants to get in on the action, but with shots like that, he won't be troubling the score monitor today. His half-volley flies a long way wide of the target.
47'
Adeyemi has a go
The Dortmund forward cuts inside and shoots, but his effort is very wayward.
49'
Wirtz has a go
The Liverpool man cuts inside and curls an effort towards goal, but it is deflected wide.
46'
Back underway
Germany get the second half started.
46'
vs
Eric Veiga
Florian Bohnert
46'
vs
Waldemar Anton
Nico Schlotterbeck
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +2
Kimmich almost squeezes the ball home
Wirtz whips a delightful cross to the back post that Kimmich almost turns home on the volley, but again Moris is there to make a good stop. The Luxembourg goalkeeper has certainly had plenty to do so far.
45'
Added time
Four minutes left to play now before the break.
42'
Wave after wave of pressure
No chances in the last few minutes, but it is very much more of the same. Germany are in complete control here.
36'
Pavlović has a go
Wirtz rolls the ball into the path of Pavlović, but the Bayern man doesn't connect cleanly and his effort drifts well wide.
33'
Woltemade should make it 3-0
A lovely counter-attack from the hosts sees Wirtz feed Woltemade in the box. The Newcastle striker can't bring the ball under his spell, however, and he is closed down superbly by the onrushing Moris, and the chance goes to waste.
31'
Goretzka is the latest to test Moris
The Bayern man lets fly from just inside the box, but Moris does well to parry the ball away.
29'
Good football, but the flag is up
Kimmich chips a nice ball into the path of Goretzka, who can't quite squeeze his effort past the goalkeeper. The flag was up, though, so the goal wouldn't have counted.
24'
The Germany fans think it is 3-0
It isn't, though. Gnabry's fantastic left-footed effort actually hit a stand behind the goal before rolling back against the net. It did look like it was in for a moment, though, causing a few German fans to cheer and Germany's goal anthem, 'Major Tom', to briefly play. Fantastic football all the same, and a good effort.
20'
Penalty given and a red card shown
Carlson is adjudged to have handled the ball in the box and is shown a red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
20'
vs
Dirk Carlson
18'
Gnabry almost finds a way through
Wirtz dinks a lovely ball over the top for Gnabry, who controls it well and shoots wide, but was there a hand from Carlson in the process? The referee is checking for a potential penalty.
14'
A first shot for Luxembourg
Dardari gets into the penalty area and has a go with his left foot. However, the shot is weak and simple for Baumann.
8'
Goretzka nods wide
Raum's corner is flicked goalwards by the leaping Goretzka, but his effort drifts just wide of the far post.
4'
Germany think they have the opener
But it won't stand. Gnabry dips inside and shoots. His effort hits Woltemade on the way through and flies into the back of the net, but the ball is adjudged to have come off the Newcastle striker's hand and the goal is chalked off.
4'
Kimmich lets fly
Continued German pressure sees a loose ball pop out to Kimmich on the edge of the box. He lets fly and forces Moris into a good save.
2'
Good start
A promising opening from Germany sees Raum in space on the left. He whips in a good cross that is claimed by Moris.
1'
We're underway
Luxembourg get the game underway by launching the ball out for a Germany throw.
0 - 0