Sinsheim, Germany – In a dominant performance at PreZero Arena on Friday, Germany cruised to a 4-0 victory over Luxembourg in their World Cup qualifier, a match that also saw Joshua Kimmich earn his 104th cap, surpassing the legendary Franz Beckenbauer in the all-time ranking of German national team appearances.
The match, part of the World Cup qualifying Group A, saw Germany move to the top of the standings. Germany, Northern Ireland and Slovakia, are all on six points, but Germany leads on goal difference. Luxembourg sits at the bottom of the group without any points.
Germany came into the match eager to make up ground after an earlier defeat to Slovakia. Coach Julian Nagelsmann, despite missing key players like Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, and Marc Andre Ter Stegen due to injury, fielded a strong lineup, repositioning Kimmich to defense from his usual midfield role.
Germany asserted their dominance early, with Newcastle's Nick Woltemade appearing to score his first international goal, but it was disallowed due to a narrow offside. However, the German side did not relent, and David Raum opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a superb free-kick, marking his first goal for Germany.
Luxembourg's challenge became even steeper when Dirk Carlson was shown a red card in the 20th minute for a handball in the box. Kimmich coolly converted the resulting penalty, doubling Germany's advantage.
Germany continued to apply pressure after the break. Serge Gnabry extended the lead, blasting in a shot from the edge of the box just three minutes into the second half. Kimmich then scored again just two minutes later, tapping in from close range after Luxembourg failed to clear a corner.
Kimmich's outstanding performance and two goals, combined with his record-breaking 104th cap, highlighted the match. His contributions on both ends of the pitch were crucial in securing the win.
The victory marks a significant step for Germany in their World Cup qualifying campaign after failing to impress in previous World Cups. They face Northern Ireland next. Meanwhile, Luxembourg will face Slovakia.
