Kimmich & Co. trample ten-man Luxembourg with ease

Even though Germany lost their opening game in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers last month against Slovakia, they are still firm favourites to finish at the top of Group A. Northern Ireland felt it three days after the aforementioned defeat, and tonight, Luxembourg joined the club, as Die Mannschaft crushed them 4-0.

Set pieces did the job for the home crew in the first half: David Raum's 12th-minute free kick broke the deadlock and Joshua Kimmich's spot-kick goal doubled the lead nine minutes later. In the meantime, the visitors' defender Dirk Carlson was sent off for intentionally handballing in the box prior to the penalty.

Julian Nagelsmann may not like that, but his lads became a bit complacent after their captain's goal, as they awaited the break with a two-goal edge.

Serge Gnabry - whose potential opener was disallowed for Nick Woltemade's handball in the fourth minute - was the most active, wasting a couple of chances, while Florian Wirtz, Leon Goretzka, and Woltemade also failed to increase their team's advantage.

Nevertheless, things improved shortly after the break, as Gnabry's fortunes changed and he netted in the 48th minute. Not even 120 seconds later, Kimmich completed a brace after a melee in Luxembourg's area following a corner kick, making it 4-0.

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Wirtz's bad luck from Liverpool apparently followed him to the national team jersey, as he hit the post from a free kick, failing to break the curse and score after six consecutive games without a goal. On the other hand, Nagelsmann used the comfortable lead to let some players with less playing time - such as Waldemar Anton, Jonathan Burkardt, and Maximilian Beier - clock significant national team minutes. Still, the subs did not bring much energy to the home team, so the result did not change until the end.

Good news for the Germans came from Belfast, where Northern Ireland brushed Slovakia aside 2-0, helping Die Mannschaft return to the top spot in Group A. In three days, Windsor Park in the Northern Irish capital will see another crucial clash, as Nagelsmann's crew will face the home team there.

WC QUALIFIERS - EUROPE

Thursday

Finland - Lithuania 2-1 (0-1)

/Kallman 48, Markhiev 55 - Sirvys 25/

Austria - San Marino 10-0 (6-0)

/Schmid 7, Arnautovic 8, 47, 83, 84, Gregoritsch 24, Posch 30, 42, Laimer 45, Wurmbrand 76/

Belarus - Denmark 0-6 (0-4)

/Froholdt 14, Hojlund 19, 45, Dorgu 45+6, Dreyer 66, 78/

Cyprus - B&H 2-2 (1-2)

/Laifis 45+1, Pittas 90+6 pen - Katic 10, Michail 36 og/

Czech Republic - Croatia 0-0

Faroe Islands - Montenegro 4-0 (2-0)

/Sorensen 16, 55, Frederiksberg 36, 72 pen/

Malta - Netherlands 0-4 (0-1)

/Gakpo 12 pen, 48 pen, Reijnders 57, Depay 90+3/

Scotland - Greece 3-1 (0-0)

/Christie 64, Ferguson 80, Dykes 90+3 - Tsimikas 62/

Friday

Kazakhstan - Liechtenstein 4-0 (2-0)

/Kenzhebek 26, 59, Zaynutdinov 28, Kasym 81/

Belgium - North Macedonia 0-0

France - Azerbaijan 3-0 (1-0)

/Mbappe 45+2, Rabiot 69, Thauvin 84/

Germany - Luxembourg 4-0 (2-0)

/Raum 12, Kimmich 21 pen, 50, Gnabry 48/

Iceland - Ukraine 3-5 (1-3)

/Ellertsson 35, Gudmundsson 59, 75 - Malinovskyi 14, 45+5, Gutsulyak 45, Kaliuzhnyi 85, Ocheretko 89/

Kosovo - Slovenia 0-0

Northern Ireland - Slovakia 2-0 (1-0)

/Hrosovsky 18 og, Hume 81/

Sweden - Switzerland 0-2 (0-0)

/Xhaka 65 pen, Manzambi 90+4/

Saturday

16.00: (1.55) Latvia (3.60) Andorra (7.75)

19.00: (1.37) Hungary (4.80) Armenia (9.00)

19.00: (1.20) Norway (7.25) Israel (12.0)

21.45: (11.0) Bulgaria (6.00) Turkey (1.25)

21.45: (25.0) Estonia (11.0) Italy (1.08)

21.45: (1.15) Portugal (7.75) R.Ireland (19.0)

21.45: (1.75) Serbia (3.60) Albania (5.60)

21.45: (1.12) Spain (10.0) Georgia (16.0)

***odds are subject to change***