WORLD CUP QUALIFYING – UEFA
Astana Arena
Attendance: 30000
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Bastian Schweinsteiger opened the scoring for Germany against Kazakhstan
Two goals in three first-half minutes helped Germany to pick up three more points on their way to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup as they won 3-0 in Kazakhstan.
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gotze’s quickfire goals in the 20th and 22nd minutes unlocked the game for Joachim Low’s men before Thomas Muller wrapped up victory for the Germans.
Kazakhstan tried to make a game of it, particularly in the second half, but the third goal knocked the stuffing out of them as they raised the white flag in Astana to remain on one point in qualifying Group C.
The win takes Germany six points clear of Sweden ahead of another game against Kazakhstan in Nuremberg on Tuesday.
It was hardly the walk in the park that Germany had hoped for on the artificial pitch in Astana.
Low’s charges appeared to be in perfect control of the game early on, but the final ball was lacking and, apart from a speculative shot from Julian Draxler, who left the field shortly after a clash of heads to be replaced by Lukas Podolski, the Kazakhstan goal was rarely threatened.
Germany finally made the breakthrough in the 21st minute when Schweinsteiger juggled the ball onto his right foot inside the penalty area and his snapshot, which appeared to take a decisive deflection off Muller, flew inside the far post.
Just a minute later, confusion between the Kazakhstan goalkeeper and a defender saw the ball spill out to Gotze, who chipped it in from 10 yards.
Germany failed to build on their two-goal advantage, though, and an enthusiastic crowd did what they could to lift their side’s spirits.
It seemed to work with substitute Ulan Konysbaev rattling the crossbar with a fine 20-yard effort in the 69th minute.
Two minutes later, Heinrich Schmidtgal, who plies his trade in the Bundesliga for Greuther Furth, tested Manuel Neuer, who responded with an excellent one-handed save to protect the near side of is goal.
Muller then ended the home team’s hopes with Germany’s third in the 74th minute.
Another defensive mix-up led to Gotze playing in Mesut Ozil, who teed up Muller to stroke the ball in from eight yards.
(20′) Bastian Schweinsteiger |
(22′) Mario Götze |
(74′) Thomas Müller |
7(2) | Shots (on goal) | 23(6) |
9 | Fouls | 6 |
3 | Corner kicks | 4 |
1 | Offsides | 1 |
24% | Time of Possession | 76% |
3 | Yellow Cards | 2 |
0 | Red Cards | 0 |
3 | Saves | 2 |
Manuel Neuer 1 |
Marcel Schmelzer 3 |
Benedikt Höwedes 4 |
Philipp Lahm 16 |
Per Mertesacker 17 |
Sami Khedira 6 |
Bastian Schweinsteiger 7 |
Mesut Özil 8 |
Julian Draxler 11 |
Thomas Müller 13 |
Mario Götze 19 |
René Adler 12 |
Ron-Robert Zieler 22 |
Heiko Westermann 5 |
Jerome Boateng 20 |
Ilkay Gündogan 14 |
Andre Schürrle 9 |
Lukas Podolski 10 |
Mario Gomez 23 |
Valeri Korobkin for Maxat Baizhanov (36′) |
Ulan Konysbaev for Marat Khairullin (65′) |
Kazbek Geteriev for Sergey Ostapenko (82′) |
Lukas Podolski for Julian Draxler (19′) |
Ilkay Gündogan for Sami Khedira (82′) |
Andre Schürrle for Thomas Müller (82′) |
Yuri Logvinenko (11′) |
Valeri Korobkin (56′) |
Viktor Dmitrenko (65′) |
Bastian Schweinsteiger (70′) |
Benedikt Höwedes (89′) |