FOOTBALL – GERMANY’S Joshua Kimmich netted twice to power his side to a 4-0 home win over Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier yesterday where the visitors went down to 10 men in the first half and the hosts moved top of the standings in a tight Group A.
The opening two goals came from dead ball situations. David Raum curled in a free kick after 12 minutes and Kimmich converted a penalty nine minutes later after Luxembourg’s Dirk Carlson was sent off for handball in the area.
Serge Gnabry scored the third three minutes after the break and Kimmich got his double two minutes later.
The win combined with Slovakia’s 2-0 defeat in Northern Ireland puts the Germans top on goal difference, with the Irish second and the Slovaks dropping to third, with all three teams on six points. Luxembourg are bottom without a point.
Germany were eliminated at the group stage of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and were knocked out at the last 16 at Euro 2020. But they impressed at Euro 2024, losing to eventual champions Spain in the quarter finals in extra-time.
Nursing injuries to forwards Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz, along with goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen, coach Julian Nagelsmann named a strong XI, putting captain Kimmich back into defence from his preferred position of midfield. On the ropes, Luxembourg’s task got harder with 20 minutes played when Dirk Carlson saw red and gave away a penalty for handballing in the box, which Kimmich calmly converted.
Germany spurned a handfull of chances at the end the first half but extended their lead early in the second, Gnabry blasting in from the edge of the box.
Kimmich scored two minutes later, tapping in from close range after a Raum corner.
Besides securing crucial points in their bid to top the group and qualify directly for the World Cup, Germany kept a clean sheet for the first time this season.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappe played saviour as France closed in on qualification for next year’s World Cup with a lacklustre 3-0 home win over Azerbaijan in their European Group D qualifier.
The 26-year-old forward opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime and set up Adrien Rabiot for the second, with substitute Florian Thauvin adding the third to put Les Bleus on nine points from three games and give Didier Deschamps’ side a chance to secure qualification on Monday when they travel to Iceland.
France were missing several key players, with Paris St Germain forwards Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola all sidelined through injury, but former PSG duo Mbappe and Rabiot got the job done despite an appalling first half.
Azerbaijan, who next play Ukraine, remain bottom of the table with one point.
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