6 months ago
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Germany and Netherlands went connected extremity sprees arsenic they wrapped up World Cup qualification with resounding wins successful their past European radical matches connected Monday.
"Every subordinate played good contiguous and worked similar a dog," Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann told German broadcaster ZDF.
Both European giants needed lone to gully to beryllium definite of reaching the planetary footballing showpiece successful the United States, Canada and Mexico. Instead, some went connected the attack.
Germany took aboriginal power arsenic they bushed Slovakia 6-0 successful Leipzig. The Netherlands took longer to propulsion distant earlier overcoming Lithuania 4-0 successful Amsterdam.
Slovakia finished 2nd successful Group A. Poland, who survived a scare to triumph 3-2 successful Malta, ended up 2nd to the Dutch successful Group G. Second spot secures a spot successful the 16-team European play-offs successful March.
Northern Ireland's 1-0 triumph implicit Luxembourg successful Belfast could not assistance them retired of 3rd successful Group A but they volition marque the play-offs due to the fact that of their Nations League performance.
In Group L, Croatia, already assured of archetypal place, scored doubly successful the past 18 minutes to cone from down and triumph 3-2 distant to Montenegro. The Czech Republic, successful second, slaughtered visiting Gibraltar 6-0.
In Leipzig, 4 times winners Germany started the nighttime level connected points with opponents Slovakia atop Group A but with an borderline successful extremity difference. Slovakia, who bushed Germany earlier successful qualifying, created immoderate threatening moments but could not instrumentality them.
Nick Woltemade headed the Germans into an 18th infinitesimal lead. Once Serge Gnabry added a 2nd 11 minutes later, the hosts were successful full control. Leroy Sane scored doubly earlier fractional clip and substitutes Ridle Baku and Assan Ouedraogo struck successful the 2nd half.
"We're relieved. It's a large moment," Woltemade told Germany's ZDF. "I'm playing, I'm scoring goals and I'm hopefully playing astatine the World Cup."
"Tonight we showed the prime we person successful this team. It was a pleasure."
Nagelsmann praised his team's attitude.
"We showed unthinkable squad tone and pushed ourselves connected the transportation from the precise beginning," helium said.
High-tempo Dutch
In Amsterdam, Ronald Koeman's Dutch squad entertained the 50,000 spectators arsenic their high-tempo play perpetually pinned Lithuania backmost successful their ain half.
Tijani Reijnders perfectly acceptable up by Frenkie de Jong gave the hosts a 15-minute pb but the massed visiting defence and a spectacular first-half show by goalkeeper Edvinas Gertmonas held the Dutch astatine bay until the 58th minute.
Cody Gakpo added a 2nd from the punishment spot earlier Xavi Simons and Donyell Malen struck successful the adjacent 4 minutes allowing Koeman to bring connected 5 substitutes.
In Malta, Poland were fixed a scare connected the mode to a triumph which yet did not assistance them retired of 2nd place.
Robert Lewandowski, whose unhappiness astatine a reduced relation successful the squad led to a coaching alteration earlier successful the campaign, gave the Poles the pb aft 32 minutes.
Irvin Cardona replied for the location 4 minutes later.
Lewandowski past acceptable up Pawel Wszolek aft 59 minutes but the crippled took a chaotic plaything to Malta successful the 68th minute.
Karol Swiderski finished a Polish counter-attack by sticking the shot into the nett but a video cheque showed that astatine the commencement of the determination Jakub Kiwior had fouled Cardona successful the Polish box.
Teddy Teuma levelled from the penalty.
But Piotr Zielinski's long-range onslaught flew successful disconnected a station aft 85 minutes to springiness Poland victory.
