Germany’s U21 national team secured a dominant 4–0 victory against Latvia in Riga, moving within two wins of booking their place at next summer’s European Under-21 Championship. Paris Brunner spearheaded the win with a brace on his international debut for the age group, opening the scoring after just 53 seconds before adding a second just before halftime.
Paris Brunner Makes Instant Impact on U21 Debut
Playing in Riga on Tuesday, Germany controlled the contest from the opening whistle. Paris Brunner wasted no time announcing his arrival in the squad, netting the opening goal just 53 seconds into the match. The AS Monaco forward, who received his first call-up to the U21 selection under coach Antonio Di Salvo, doubled his tally in the 42nd minute to give the visitors a comfortable 2–0 cushion heading into the break.
Earlier this season, the former Borussia Dortmund youngster and U17 World and European champion faced a club suspension after making a provocative gesture toward opposing fans.
Second-Half Goals Seal the Win in Group F
The visiting side maintained pressure after the interval. Club Brugge professional Nicolo Tresoldi extended the lead to 3–0 in the 52nd minute, before FC Augsburg midfielder Arijon Ibrahimović capped the scoring with a deflected strike in the 76th minute following a pass from Francis Onyeka. Live ticker reports from Sport Bild noted that Latvia remained largely toothless throughout the match, managing their first and only shot on target late in the second half through captain Ivans Patrikejevs, which was blocked.
Coach Di Salvo handed debuts to several new faces in the starting lineup and off the bench. Noah Darvich, celebrating his 20th birthday, earned his first start for the U21s and assisted Brunner’s second goal. Late substitutes Laurin Ulrich and Mert Kömür also featured, with Di Salvo utilizing his full substitution quota.
Standings Context and Next Steps
With the 4–0 victory, Germany remains atop Group F, level on points with Greece, who defeated Georgia 3–0 away on the same matchday. Germany holds the advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker after a 5–0 win in the reverse fixture against Latvia earlier in the qualifying campaign.
Germany’s path to the European Championship finals requires two more victories. Di Salvo’s squad will next face Malta away on Wednesday, followed by a final group stage fixture against Georgia on October 6 in Bielefeld.
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