After 20 minutes, the memory of the World Cup in Qatar spoke up again. And she did it powerfully and in the loudest way imaginable.
Marius Wolf played the ball precisely into the Peruvian penalty area from the right. Florian Wirtz was completely free eleven meters from goal, but he still couldn’t get the ball past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. But Timo Werner got the second chance five yards from goal. He tipped the ball into the left corner. Gallese flew in again – and saved.
The sloppy handling of the best goal chances was one of the big problems of the German national soccer team at the World Cup in Qatar. A certain negligence in your own penalty area is another.
A good 30 seconds after the double chance wasted, a sharp cross sailed towards the German goal. But no Peruvian was there who could have done more damage.
It went well again. Not only in this scene, but in general in the first international match after the botched World Cup in Advent. The Germans celebrated an ultimately safe 2-0 win over Peru on Saturday evening in the sold-out stadium in Mainz. The biggest point of criticism: The victory could have been significantly higher given the balance of power on the pitch and the clear chances.
National coach Hansi Flick already documented with his line-up that he wanted to do something well with his team. Against the number 21 in the world, he fielded two attackers in Niclas Füllkrug and Timo Werner, followed by two midfielders with proven fine feet, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz.
The national team should be stormy, and they did. Also thanks to full-back Marius Wolf, who was the only debutant in the starting XI and worked the right flank with a pronounced offensive urge. Fifteen minutes before the end, Flick also helped Mergim Berisha and Kevin Schade make their debut in the senior national team.
Wolf certainly lived up to expectations. It was the Dortmunder who prepared the 2-0 goal in the 33rd minute with Füllkrug when he played the ball flat into the middle and Bremen skilfully crept in front of his opponent.
Füllkrug had already taken the lead for the Germans in the early stages. After a long pass from central defender Nico Schlotterbeck, Havertz steered the ball right in front of his feet. Vollkrug completed from close range.
Good atmosphere in the stands
In the fifth international match, it was goals number four and five for the 30-year-old. Füllkrug, who only slipped into the World Cup squad at the last minute, is now an integral part of the national team.
And even if he missed two more big chances, he left a much happier impression than his strike partner Timo Werner. The Leipziger was replaced by Flick at the break. Serge Gnabry came in for him.
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Niclas Füllkrug has scored goals in five international matches
The atmosphere in the stands was splendid. The fans sang, danced, drummed and trumpeted. It was the Peruvian supporters who supported their team in amazing numbers throughout the match. The fact that the guests from South America showed little offensive power could not lessen their enthusiasm.
In the third game against the German national team after 1970 and 2018, the Peruvians suffered their third defeat. Five years ago it was much tighter when the Germans scored the winning goal to make it 2-1 just before the end.
This time it was a clear matter that should have been even clearer. But Gnabry hit the crossbar with a side pull and Havertz put a penalty kick on the post. There they were again, the bad memories of the World Cup in Qatar.
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