Nick Woltemade scored both goals as Germany overcame a resilient Luxembourg side 2-0 away on Friday, bringing them within sight of direct qualification for next year’s World Cup in North America. The Newcastle striker, who stands 1.98 metres tall, struck twice after halftime, breaking through a sluggish German performance against opponents ranked 97th in the world.
The victory keeps Germany level on points with second-placed Slovakia but ahead on goal difference, as Slovakia beat Northern Ireland 1-0 in a parallel fixture. The top two sides meet on Monday in Leipzig, with Germany guaranteed direct qualification by avoiding defeat.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann had backed Woltemade to make an impact, and the striker delivered, following his first international goal in Germany’s win over Northern Ireland in October. Despite missing key attackers including Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Niclas Fuellkrug, Tim Kleindienst, and Karim Adeyemi, Germany relied on Woltemade’s finishing to secure the three points.
Luxembourg had a strong start, creating the better chances in the first half. Daniel Sinani forced a desperation save from a corner and narrowly missed a shot in the 21st minute, while Germany struggled to find fluency. Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz, returning to the squad, failed to make an impact in the opening half, blasting a chance over the bar.
Germany came out stronger after halftime. Four minutes into the second half, Leroy Sané delivered a precise cross to Woltemade, who tapped home for the opener. Sané played a key role again in the 69th minute, sending a ball to Ridle Baku, whose slide pass allowed Woltemade to score his second. Substitute Felix Nmecha tested Luxembourg’s goalkeeper with a long-range effort in stoppage time, but the scoreline remained 2-0.
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