The German U21s said goodbye to the international game year 2022 with a win and plenty of fresh self-confidence. Coach Antonio Di Salvo’s recently weakened team won against hosts Italy in Ancona 4: 2 (1: 0) and showed an impressive offensive performance at times. Germany had previously lost to both France (0-1) and England (1-3).
“We wanted to go out of the last game with a good feeling. I believe that the win is well deserved,” said Di Salvo, whose parents immigrated to Germany from Italy: “Because of my background, a win in Italy is special Nice.”
Debutant Denis Huseinbasic from 1. FC Köln (23rd), Lazar Samardzic (52nd), who worked for Udinese Calcio in Italy, and Freiburg’s Kevin Schade (55th) gave the European champions a 3-0 lead before Matteo Cancellieri from Lazio Rome made exciting with a double strike (66./74.).
Newcomer Maurice Malone from Wolfsberger AC (88th) scored the final result with a hand penalty after red for Giorgio Cittadini after an emergency brake (85th) and yellow-red for Raoul Bellanova (87th).
In the pouring rain, in front of around 8,000 spectators in the Stadio del Conero, the German team, which had no regular players, showed itself to be very well coordinated and acted confidently against rustic opponents. The two Italy legionnaires in the DFB starting eleven played a central role.
Captain Malick Thiaw (AC Milan) held the German defense together and scraped a ball off his own goal line in the 54th minute. Samardzic first set up Huseinbasic’s opening goal (still played for Kickers Offenbach in the regional league until the summer) and scored goal number two himself with a fine free kick.
Schade made the supposed decision with a quick countermove, but Italy held back powerfully.
Di Salvo had to do without the injured Jonathan Burkardt and Felix Nmecha as well as Armel Bella-Kotchap and Youssoufa Moukoko, who were nominated for the World Cup in Qatar. In addition, Josha Vagnoman (VfB Stuttgart) and Faride Alidou (Eintracht Frankfurt) were not released by their clubs. In addition to Huseinbasic and Malone, Noah Weißhaupt (SC Freiburg) also made his debut.