A goal, two templates: Shooting star Nick Woltemade led the German U21 national team to the quarter-finals of the EM prematurely with another gala.
Due to the convincing 4: 2 (2: 0) against the Czech Republic, the DFB coach Antonio di Salvo team underlined its title ambitions, in the top game against European champion England, only the group victory on Wednesday.
“If you win both games and also shoot a lot of goals, this gives self -confidence. We are on the right track,” said goal scorer Paul Nebel at “Sat.1”: “That was a good performance by the whole team – even if the two goals conceded us.”
New international Woltemade (54th) scored his fourth goal in the second tournament game. In addition, Nicolo Tresoldi (34th) from Hannover 96, the strong fog (41./Mainz 05) and captain Eric Martel (59th) from 1. FC Köln in Dunajska Streda in Slovak. For the first time since 2019, a German U21 started with two wins in an EM.
German U21 selection makes it exciting again
After the 4-0 lead, however, it got exciting again: Only an own goal (61.), then Karel Spacil (66.) gave the 6000 loud fans from the Czech Republic again.
Stuttgart-Torjäger Woltemade started again as a hanging tip after two triple packs in a row. Supported by DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, sports director Rudi Völler and DFB Managing Director Andreas Rettig, the German team initially did not get through, despite the field superiority.
For this it became curious for this: First a pigeon crouching on the lawn had to be carried out of the field during a game interruption, then Woltemade lost a loosely sitting shoe and thus hit the referee on the chest from five meters.
On the other hand, it was only dangerous for the DFB team when Patrik Vydra goalkeeper Noah Atubolu (SC Freiburg) was forced to a strong parade (32nd). But then Germany struck. Pharel Namdi Collins from Eintracht Frankfurt fit the ball in front of the goal, where Tresoldi was in the right place. A little later it was Woltemade who used the fog involved in the most beautiful attack by the game.
Now it went like clockwork: Shortly before the break, Brajan Gruda (45.+1) hit the post, after the change of sides it continued seamlessly. Woltemade first used a flank from Rocco Reitz, then with a little luck he put on Martel 4-0. Then Arrey-MBi invited the Czechs to catch up.