Germany made it four wins in a row as Serge Gnabry and Thomas Müller scored the goals to give Hansi Flick’s side a 2-1 victory over Romania in World Cup qualifying on Friday evening. Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Niklas Süle and Leroy Sane also featured. Jamal Musiala remained an unused substitute. Manuel Neuer missed the game due to a groin problem.
Captain Kimmich and Goretzka celebrated the important win in qualifying.
Supersub Müller scores the winner
Germany started brightly and could have had an early chance for Kimmich – captaining the side in Neuer’s absence – to put them ahead from the penalty spot after Timo Werner was fouled, but VAR overturned the decision inside eight minutes. Only 60 seconds later, Romania’s Ianis Hagi burst through two defenders to give the visitors a shock lead with a finish into the far corner. The four-time world champions fought back, with Gnabry having the best chances of the first half.
The Raumdeuter scored a typical Müller goal to secure all three points.
Gnabry wasn’t to be denied after the break, though, when he fired home from the edge of the box to bring up his fifth goal of qualifying and his 20th in only 30 senior caps. The 26-year-old and his team remained on the offensive, driven on by the omnipresent Sane, and were rewarded for their intensity by Müller’s winning goal. Goretzka flicked on a corner to the far post, where the 32-year-old was unmarked and simply had to turn it home.
Germany continue their road to the 2022 World Cup on Monday, 11 October when they face North Macedonia in Skopje. Die Mannschaft currently lead Group J on 18 points after seven rounds of fixtures.
Choupo-Moting brace in Cameroon win
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting took his Bayern form onto the international stage as the 32-year-old scored twice in Cameroon’s 3-1 win over Mozambique in World Cup qualifying. The day was done for the Hamburg-born striker after 71 minutes. Toko Ekambi got the third Cameroon goal in Yaounde, with Geny Cipriano Catamo getting the visitors’ consolation ten minutes from time.
Choupo has been directly involved in 10 goals (seven scored, three assists) in nine competitive outings for Bayern this season. Cameroon are currently second in qualifying Group D on six points from three games, one behind Ivory Coast. The Indomitable Lions’ next game is on Monday when they again face Mozambique, this time in Tangiers, Morocco.
Josip Stanisic played the full 90 minutes on his senior debut for Croatia.
Stanisic makes Croatia debut
Straight after receiving his first call-up for Croatia’s senior national team by Zlatko Dalic, Josip Stanisic was handed his maiden cap when he started the 3-0 win against Cyprus in their qualifier on Friday. Ivan Perisic, Josko Gvardiol and Marko Luvaja got the goals as the 21-year-old Bayern right-back played the full 90 minutes.
The victory sees Croatia move onto 16 points and the top of Group H ahead of Russia on goal difference. Stanisic and his side face Slovakia in Osijek on Monday.
See how the other Bayern players got on in the international break:
