Germany thrashed Iceland 4-0 to make it three wins in a row in the World Cup qualifying Group J.
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Germany thrashed Iceland 4-0 to make it three wins in a row in the World Cup qualifying Group J on Wednesday. Serge Gnabry opened the scoring for the away side in Reykjavík, before Antonio Rudiger extended the lead in the 24th minute. After the interval, Leroy Sane made the score 3-0 and then Timo Werner completed the drubbing with a late goal. Meanwhile in the other match of the day Poland came from behind to draw 1-1 against England in a Group I match.
Within 4 minutes of kick-off, Sane set up Gnabry to tap in from close range. Although initially, the linesman raised the flag for offside, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal stood. And then, an unmarked Rudiger, headed in from Joshua Kimmich’s freekick to make it 2-0 for Hansi Flick’s side.
The visitors continued attacking as Leon Goretzka forced a save out of Iceland custodian Hannes Halldorsson.
After the restart, the home side almost pulled one back when Johann Gudmundsson hit the woodwork with a cracking left-footer and the rebound was nodded in by Albert Gudmundsson but the linesman raised the flag for offside.
Sane, who was having a very good game, got on the scoresheet in the 56th minute, with a spectacular left-footer that smashed into the top of the Iceland goal.
Werner missed a sitter on the hour mark but made amends for it by adding a fourth in the 88th minute. The Chelsea forward’s weak shot hit the post and bounced out before spinning back across the line.
The Germans who had a shaky start to the qualifying campaign that included a loss to North Macedonia in March are now back to their usual best. Flick’s side has now taken a maximum nine points from three games, scoring 12 goals and conceding none.
The win helped Germany to 15 points from 6 games whereas Iceland is struggling at 5th spot with 4 points from 6 games.
It was a physical encounter in Warsaw as the home side didn’t allow the Englishmen to play freely, and very few clear cut chances were created. The closest England got to scoring was on the hour-mark, when Harry Maguire’s header from Luke Shaw’s free-kick hit the post.
Both teams struggled to open up their opponent’s defence and finally Harry Kane’s long ranger was required to break the deadlock. The English captain fired in a low dipping shot from well outside the box to make the scoreline1-0.
The visitors then went on the defensive mode and controlled a large part of the latter stage, in front of a hostile 56,000 spectators. However, in the dying minutes of stoppage time, Robert Lewandowski showed his class and experience to deliver a perfect cross for Szymanski to head in from close range. Warsaw celebrated with a wall of sound.
Although the Three Lions defended well until the equalizer, questions would be asked at Gareth Southgate’s decision to not use any substitution. Maybe they lost their concentration for a split second because of fatigue and that led to the leveller.
Despite the draw, England are positioned well on top of Group I with 16 points from 6 games, whereas Poland are third with 11 points.
