Davie Selke, who bagged a brace in the match.
SUMMARY
Germany were comfortable winners in this U19 Championship group stage match against Bulgaria. Germany got off to the perfect start in the first minute of the game as Benjamin Trumner floated a cross in towards striker Davie Selke, who found the bottom left corner with a left footed volley from the edge of the box after Bulgarian centre half Stefan Velkov slipped on the turf. Die Mannschaft doubled their advantage in the 28th minute as a Marc Stendera corner towards the near post was flicked on by Niklas Stark towards an unmarked Anthony Syhre at the far post who tapped into what was essentially an empty net. The win was sealed in the 56th minute as Stendera found Hany Mukhtar inside the box before the Hertha man laid off Selke, who stabbed the ball past ‘keeper Aleksandar Lyubenov to make it 3-0.
LINEUPS
Bulgaria
SUBS:
10. Dryanov
1. Katsarev (GK)
9. Minchev (Hubchev 46′)
14. Orachev (Petrov 46′)
2. Popov
13. Velkovski (Tsonev 78′)
Germany
SUBS:
18. Friedrich (Kempf 73′)
12. Gersbeck (GK)
13. Itter (Stark 65′)
6. Kimmich
14. Lohkemper (Dudziak 65′)
MATCH REPORT
Both sides went into this game at ETO Park knowing that a win would take them to the top of Group B in the UEFA U19 Championships, following a 1-1 draw between Ukraine and Serbia earlier in the day. Germany, perhaps still riding the wave of momentum that their senior side generated by winning the World Cup, got off to the perfect start as Kevin Akpoguma fed Benjamin Trumner down the right wing before Trumner flighted a ball in towards Davie Selke, who found the bottom left corner from the edge of the box despite not quite catching his left footed volley cleanly. The could have doubled their advantage in the 10th minute as Aleksandar Vasilev tried to overplay the ball near his own box and conceded a sloppy free kick after being robbed by Jeremy Dudziak. Marc Stendera delivered the ball from the left hand side and found the head of Selke, but he couldn’t get over the ball and headed over the bar from just outside the 6 yard box. Bulgaria were finding it very hard to cope with the German offence, and their left hand side was being penetrated time after time, with Preslav Petrov being constantly drawn towards the ball, leaving too much space in behind. Their cases wasn’t helped by the constant pressing by Die Adler, who were closing down the Bulgarian side all over the field, not allowing them any time to play out from the back.
Bulgaria had a good chance to level the score in the 15th minute as Kiril Despadov exchanged passes with Radoslav Tsonev before firing well wide from a good position down the left hand side of the penalty box. The Bulgarians fashioned another half chance 6 minutes later as Nikola Kolev tried his luck from 25 yards out as he fired a shot from 25 yards which swerved in the air, making it hard for German goalkeeper Oliver Schnitzler, but he was able to parry it away to safety. Despite these forays forward by Bulgaria, Germany were still very much in the ascendancy, and their attacking midfield three of Trumner, Stendera and Jeremy Dudziak were interchanging positions very well, making it hard for the Bulgarian defence to track them. Trumner had a chance to double Germany’s lead in the 25th minute as he cut inside from the right and hit a left footed shot, but it was comfortably held by Lyubenov. Germany were not to be denied for too much longer however as just three minutes later, Stendera played in a corner from the right hand side towards the near post, captain Niklas Stark flicked the ball on and an un marked Anthony Syhre tapped in from just outside the 6 yard box at the far post.
From this point on the game was Germany’s to lose, as they kept complete control of the game, limiting Bulgaria to the occasional shot from outside the area. Germany came inches away from a third goal as Stendera pulled off a lovely backheel to Dudziak who drove infield from the right wing and curled a left footed shot just wide of the far post. Germany, who won this competition in 2008, were almost gifted a goal in the 35th minute, as Stendera overhit his free kick from just inside the Bulgaria half, but the delivery was misjudged by Lyubenov, who was relieved to see the ball go just wide of his right hand post. Germany had yet another attempt on goal in the 41st minute as Stark thumped an effort from 30 yards out, but saw it fly well over the crossbar. Bulgaria made a rare foray forward a couple of minutes later, but Kolev scuffed his shot well over Schnitzler’s crossbar. Stendera was pulling the strings for Germany in this match, and his runs in behind Petrov were causing the Bulgarians no shortage of trouble.
HALF TIME: BULGARIA 0 – 2 GERMANY (Selke 1′ , Syhre 28′)
The second half of this match started in very much the same fashion as the first ended, as Dudziak skipped past two challenges and got to the byline before seeing his attempted cross to Selke well intercepted by Velkov. Bulgaria were still being limited to efforts from distance and a long range drive along the floor by Antonio Vutov was easily held by Schnitzler. Germany broke forward from the resulting attack and Stendera played the ball inside to Hany Mukhtar who set up Selke before the Werder Bremen striker stabbed home to score Germany’s third and his second of the game. Germany remained on the offensive despite their three goal lead and, following a Stendera free kick, the ball fell to Stark with his back to goal, he turned and fired towards the net but the shot was deflected away for a corner.
Bulgaria created one of their best opportunities in the 64th minute as Tsonev played a ball over the top to Kiril Despodov, but he was beaten to the ball by an onrushing Schnitzler, who got his head on the ball before clattering into the Bulgarian striker. The header landed at the feet of Kolev, but the Germany ‘keeper was able to block the effort with his body before the ball was eventually cleared by the Germany defence. Germany’s defence was appearing to lose concentration as Bulgaria had another chance to get a goal back in the 69th minute, as the ball was played to Vutov from a 4 on 2 situation, but the midfielder blazed over, wasting a good chance for The Lions.
Selke had a chance to notch his hat trick in the 72nd minute as he drifted inside from the left before hitting a poorly struck shot into the arms of Lyubenov. A mere two minutes later and it was Trumner who had the next opportunity to score as he hit an effort from just outside the box well over Lyubenov’s crossbar. Bulgaria were finding it difficult to break out of their own half, being limited to long balls over the top in search of Despodov, but these balls were being swept up by Schnitzler when they came anywhere near his 18 yard box. They did have an effort on goal 10 minutes from time, however, as substitute Georgi Minchev laid the ball off to Despodov 23 yards out, but Despodov hit his effort just over the bar. Germany had a long range effort of their own just three minutes later as he dribbled in and out of two challenges before firing towards goal from just outside the box, but his effort skimmed the top of the net. Germany had visibly slowed down in the last twenty minutes or so, clearly taking their foot off the gas as they were confident that the game was won.
Selke was presented with another opportunity to score his third goal of the game in the first minute of added time as he brought the ball down from the air before moving the ball onto his right foot, but he couldn’t strike the ball cleanly and the shot nestled safely in the arms of Lyubenov. Bulgaria created what was easily their best chance of the game just seconds later as a peach of a delivery from Orachev presented Despodov with a golden chance to get on the scoresheet, but he knocked the ball over the bar with his foot when it would have been a better option to go with his head. Minchev could have created another opportunity for Bulgaria as he and Despodov drove forward in a 2 on 1 situation against the German defence, Minchev attempted a shot from 20 yards instead of playing in Despodov and the ball went wide of the left hand post. Germany would create the final chance of the game as Stendera put in another dangerous set piece which was cleared, the ball was eventually played to Holtahus down the left wing, and he put a pass inside to Felix Lohkemper, who hit the side netting from roughly 15 yards out.
FULL TIME: BULGARIA 0 – 3 GERMANY (Selke 1′, 56′ – Syhre 28′)
PLAYER RATINGS
Bulgaria
Lyubenov – 5
Petrov – 4
Galabov – 6
Velkov – 5
Vasilev – 5
Hubchev – 5
Kolev – 6
Vutov – 5
Tsonev – 6
Vitanov – 5
Despodov – 5
Subs:
Orachev – 6
Minchev – 5
Velkovski – 6
Germany
Schnitzler – 7
Holthaus – 7
Kempf – 6
Syhre – 7
Akpoguma – 7
Mukhtar – 7
Stark – 8
Dudziak – 6
Stendera – 8 (MoTM)
Trumner – 7
Selke – 7
Subs:
Itter – 6
Lohkemper – 6
Friedrich – 6
Under The Floodlights 