DGermany’s new U-21 generation started qualifying for the European Championship with a goal gala against the blatant underdog San Marino. 88 days after winning the title, coach Stefan Kuntz’s newly formed team clearly prevailed 6-0 (5-0) in Serravalle on Thursday.
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Tom Krauss from Nuremberg (4th minute), captain Jonathan Burkardt from FSV Mainz 05 (20th / 43rd), BVB talent Youssoufa Moukoko (39th / 41st) and Fürth Jamie Leweling (68th) scored for the superior Selection of the German Football Association, which took over the leadership in the group.
Above all, Kuntz was not entirely satisfied with the performance of his team in the weaker second half after numerous changes. “The boys are still young, you have to have such an experience,” said the 58-year-old at ProSieben Maxx. “There is already a lot to talk about.” Goal scorer Burkardt also judged: “The second half was bad, that was not our claim.”
The Kuntz selection has to compete in Latvia on Tuesday. Other opponents in the group are Poland, Hungary and Israel. The nine group winners and the best runner-up in the group qualify directly for the 2023 tournament. In San Marino, the German team initially lived up to their role as favorites without any major problems. On the offensive, U-21 European champions Burkardt and Moukoko, who at 16 years and 286 days are now the youngest German U-21 national player and also the youngest German goalscorer in this age group, were particularly convincing.
Further debutants in U 21
The newly formed selection with eight debutants in the starting line-up took control of the game against the underdog from the start. The early goal by Krauss gave the defending champion further security, so that the defense around European champion Lars Lukas Mai was hardly challenged. The new generation was offensive, enthusiastic and committed, even if the final vote was still missing in some cases.
Kuntz had prepared his fourth U-21 year well for the underdog, who mainly concentrated on defending. With the current selection at the finals in Romania and Georgia in 2023, the 58-year-old could make it into the final of a U-21 European Championship for the fourth time in a row. Most recently, the coach, who had also acted as national coach in the summer, left it open whether he would look after the current U-21 selection beyond the end of the year.
After the break, the coach brought a total of five more debutants. San Marino dared to go on the offensive a little more often, but remained unlucky with some chances. The German selection decreased a bit compared to the first half due to the many changes, but still got the sixth goal through Leweling.
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