Paris Brunner delivered a commanding performance on his debut for the Germany U21 national team, scoring twice to guide his side to a 4:0 victory over Latvia in Riga and moving the DFB squad closer to securing qualification for next summer’s European Under-21 Championship.
The 20-year-old forward, currently playing for AS Monaco, opened the scoring after just 53 seconds before adding his second goal in the 42nd minute just before halftime. Nicolò Tresoldi of Club Brugge extended the lead in the 52nd minute, and Augsburg’s Arijon Ibrahimovic capped the scoring in the 76th minute, leaving Germany just two wins away from booking their ticket to the continental tournament.
Early Impact and Team Selection
Brunner’s rapid impact in Riga followed his summer move to Monaco, where the former Borussia Dortmund youngster has experienced an eventful start to his club career. Beyond his on-field contributions, the former U17 World and European champion faced a recent suspension at club level following a goal celebration directed at opposition supporters.
Despite those off-field headlines, Germany U21 head coach Antonio Di Salvo handed several fresh faces an opportunity in Latvia. With several regular candidates—such as Lennart Karl of Bayern Munich, Said El Mala of 1. Cologne, and Finn Jeltsch of VfB Stuttgart—earning call-ups to Jürgen Klopp’s senior setup, Di Salvo turned to emerging talent.
Captain Tom Bischof led the side before his own transition to the senior setup, while Noah Darvich of SV Elversberg earned his first start on the day after his 20th birthday. Darvich marked the occasion by providing the assist for Brunner’s second goal just before the break.
Standings and Qualification Outlook
Following a 5:0 victory in the reverse fixture, Germany dominated possession and territory in front of a sparse crowd in Riga, though the coaching staff noted the team missed chances to convert their overwhelming superiority into an even larger margin of victory.
In the group’s other action, qualifying rival Greece claimed a 3:0 victory away against Georgia. While Germany and Greece remain level on points at the top of the group standings, the German side maintains the advantage in the crucial head-to-head tiebreaker.
Di Salvo’s squad can secure qualification as group winners by winning their remaining two fixtures: an away fixture in Malta on Wednesday, followed by a home match against Georgia in Bielefeld on October 6.
