David Raum shines as Germany ease to victory over Israel
Germany eased to a 2-0 victory over Israel on Saturday in their first international match of 2022 as they step up preparations for the World Cup in Qatar in December.
Germany 2-0 Israel Goals: 1-0 Havertz 36’ (assist: Raum), 2-0 Werner 45’+1 (assist: Gündogan)
The fixture took place at Hoffenheim’s PreZero Arena and Germany’s David Raum, playing on his home turf, appeared extra motivated to put on a show for the local supporters. Die Mannschaft were utterly dominant in the first 45 minutes, controlling the ball and tempo of the game, forcing their visitors onto the back foot. They largely did so through the efforts of Raum, who was a constant menace on the left flank with his tireless running and crosses into the box. It was fitting then, that it was the 23-year-old who teed up Germany’s opening goal following promising chances for Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Julian Draxler, delivering a corner from the right for Havertz to head in at the near post. Werner gave Hansi Flick’s side the cushion their performance deserved on the stroke of half-time, flicking in an Ilkay Gündogan free-kick from close range.
The match followed a similar pattern after the interval, even if Germany eased down a gear or two in their attacking efforts. The best chance of the second half didn't arrive until the hour mark, when Thilo Kehrer's drilled shot was well kept out by goalkeeper Ofir Marciano, who thwarted the hosts on a number of occasions. Thomas Müller had a chance to add gloss to the scoreline in the last minute of normal time after Lukas Nmecha was fouled inside the box, but the Bayern veteran could only hit the post with his penalty. There was even time for another spot-kick after that following a momentary lapse in concentration from debutant Nico Schlotterbeck, who fouled Yonatan Cohan. However, the Freiburg defender's blushes were spared by Kevin Trapp, who saved the penalty to preserve Germany's clean sheet in what was otherwise largely a trouble-free victory.
Match stats
Schlotterbeck and Stach both made their senior international debuts in this game.
Stach featured in five of six games during the Germany U21s’ run to the UEFA Euro U21 title last summer. He is in the 99th percentile Bundesliga-wide for both shots attempted, and interceptions made this season.
Stach became the 960th different player to represent Germany at senior level.
Germany have won all eight of their games under Flick to date by an aggregate score of 33-2.
Müller has made the most appearances among currently active Germany internationals (111). Only Philipp Lahm (113), Bastian Schweinsteiger (121), Lukas Podolski (130), Miroslav Klose (137) and Lothar Matthäus (150) have won more.
Israel: Marciano - Dasa, Bitton, Menahem, Goldberg – Solomon (D. Glazer 63’), Abu Fani (Safuri 75’), Peretz (Cohen 84’), Avraham (Kanichowsky 46’) – Dabbur (Haziza 75’), Baribo (David 63’) Unused subs: O. Glazer, Nitzan, Abu Abiad, Baltaxa, Davidzada, Kandil Out: - Coach: Gadi Brumer
As it happened!
2 - 0
(2 - 0)
Germany
FINAL
Israel
Friendly International International PreZero Arena, Sinsheim
90'
+ 4
COMFORTABLE WIN
Two goals, two missed penalties, two Germany debutants... an eventful match at Hoffenheim's PreZero Arena comes to an end with a deserved friendly win for Germany, the eighth in a row under Hansi Flick. The damage was done in the first half through goals from Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, and while Flick's side remained superior after the break they were no longer able to find a way through.
Full-time
90'
+ 4
TRAPP SAVES!
The Frankfurt keeper guesses the right way, diving to his right to keep out Cohen's spot-kick.
90'
+ 4
PENALTY TO ISRAEL!
A lapse in concentration from Schlotterbeck, who brings down Cohen inside the box!
90'
+ 3
JUST OVER FROM COHEN!
Günter loses the ball in the Israel half and the away side are quick to counter! Cohen cuts inside from the right and curls a brilliant shot at goal, but it goes just over the bar!
90'
+ 1
FOUR ADDED MINUTES
We're into stoppage time now...
89'
PENALTY MISSED!
Müller takes the spot-kick but side-foots his effort onto the outside of the right-hand post!
88'
PENALTY TO GERMANY!
Nmecha is felled in the box by Menahem and the referee points to the spot straight away.
87'
FIRST SAVE FOR TRAPP
Haziza has what is probably Israel's best shot of the game so far as he jinks inside from the left and shoots from 25 yards. It's got good pace and is swerving a bit, but Trapp watches it all the way and makes a routine stop.
85'
NMECHA BACK-HEEL
Günter drills a corner from the left to the near post towards Nmecha, who flicks it towards goal with his heel, but Marciano has read the danger and makes another save.
82'
CHANCE FOR MÜLLER
Draxler crosses from the right and finds Müller in the centre, but the Bayern forward can't direct his header at goal.
Germany patiently play the ball around the edge of the Israel box, probing for openings. Eventually the ball is laid off to Draxler, who shots low and hard. Marciano makes a good stop at full stretch, before scrambling up to gather the rebound at the feet of the onrushing Musiala.
Israel struggle to clear another wave of Germany attacks and can only breathe a sigh of relief when Marciano pulls off another fine save, this time at his near post to deny Kehrer what would have been a first senior international goal.
56'
HALF-CHANCE FOR WERNER
Kehrer plays a nice ball forward from the back and Werner rolls his marker to sprint into the box. He's able to shoot, but the angle is tight and a defender just manages to get a toe in the way to deflect his shot wide.
52'
PERSONNEL SWITCH
Müller's substitution means he will play just behind Werner in attack, with Musiala dropping back to a deeper role in central midfield in place of Gündogan.
49'
CHANCE FOR DRAXLER!
Germany go on the attack once again through - guess who? - Raum down the left. He cuts the ball back low towards the penalty spot to Draxler, but the PSG man doesn't make a clean connection and skies his first-time shot over the bar.
Germany have been by far the better team so far, barely allowing Israel any time on the ball. The only thing that was lacking was goals, but efforts from Havertz and Werner just before the interval have set them on course for victory.
Half-time
45'
+ 1
CUSHION FOR GERMANY
Gündogan whips in a free-kick from the left, curling it low towards the front post. Werner redirects it with a flick past Marciano and into the net for his sixth goal under of the Hansi Flick reign.
The Hoffenheim winger again skips past his marker on the left and crosses into the box, this time hard and low to the front post. Werner hasn't gambled on that happening though, so in the end it's a comfortable save for Marciano.
36'
HAVERTZ WITH THE OPENER!
Raum delivers an in-swinging corner from the right hand side of the pitch for the first time in this match, and it's immediately successful. His cross picks out Havertz on the corner of the six-yard box at the front post, and the Chelsea forward buries his header.
Havertz does well to hold off a couple of players on the edge of the box and lay the ball off to Gündogan, who's arriving at pace. The Manchester City midfielder side-foots a shot at goal, but it lacks the necessary power to beat Marciano.
29'
HAVERTZ ALMOST WITH THE OPENER!
Draxler charges into the box from the right to win a header following a cross from the left. Havertz controls it on his thigh and quickly gets a show away with his right foot from 10 yards out. It's heading toward the bottom corner, but Marciano dives down well to his left to make a superb stop.
26'
VITAL INTERCEPTION
Werner is lurking on the shoulder of the last man as Gündogan tries to slide the ball into his path, but the defender just manages to stick out a leg and nip the danger in the bud. Werner would have been clean through otherwise.
23'
RINSE AND REPEAT
Raum again sprints into space down the left, this time picked out by a lovely pass from Schlotterbeck. Raum mishits his cross so that it looks to be looping into the net, but Marciano scrambles back to tip the ball over for a corner.
18'
RAUM AGAIN
The Hoffenheim winger again finds space on the left and drills the ball low across the face of goal, looking for Werner. It's just too strong for the former Leipzig forward to reach, however.
14'
ONE-WAY TRAFFIC
Germany are very much on top here, absolutely dominating possession and barely allowing Israel any time on the ball. The action is taking place almost exclusively in the visitors' half, with Die Mannschaft attacking primarily through Raum down the left. They haven't had any clear-cut chances to speak of yet, though.
10'
WERNER FIRES OVER
Just moments after Havertz took a second too long to get a shot off from the edge of the box, Germany fashion another opening. Raum finds Havertz down the left, and he slides it further inside to Werner, but the forward stretches to make a connection and ends up sending his effort well over the bar.
7'
FIRST GLIMPSE FOR ISRAEL
Solomon intercepts a loose pass in midfield and immediately jinks forward to the edge of the Germany penalty area. He tries to thread a pass to a teammate but it's cut out.
5'
FIRST SHOT OF THE GAME
Some lovely, intricate interplay in tight space on the right between Draxler, Werner and Havertz. The latter eventually gets behind the defence and pulls the ball back for Draxler, who cuts inside onto his left foot and gets a shot away, but it's blocked before it reaches the goal.
2'
PROMISING FROM GERMANY
Raum charges into space down the left, to great approval of his home crowd, before switching play to Draxler on the right. He plays a one-two on the edge of the box before releasing Werner into space behind the defence, but the pass is just too strong for the Chelsea forward to reach.
1'
HERE WE GO!
Germany get the ball rolling in Sinsheim!
Kick-off!
NATIONAL ANTHEMS
The teams are out on the pitch and the national anthems are being sung. We'll be under way momentarily.
SCHLOTTERBECK DEBUT
The 22-year-old centre-back earns his first cap for Germany following an impressive season so far with Freiburg. "Nico's developed hugely, he defends high up the pitch and is very self-confident, I like that," said head coach Hansi Flick in the build-up to this game.
HOFFENHEIM DUO LOCK HORNS
Raum for Germany and Dabbur for Israel are both at home in this fixture, given that they play their club football for Hoffenheim. "We link up well together. With that in mind, it's a shame that we're playing against rather than alongside each other on Saturday," said Raum on his club's website. Dabbur is looking forward to the encounter too: "It'll obviously be a special game, David and I have had a good understanding since day one. Normally we play together, it's going to be exciting."
O. Glazer, Nitzan, Abu Abiad, Baltaxa, Davidzada, Kandil, D. Glazer, Haziza, Kanichowsky, Safuri, Cohen, David
TEAM NEWS
Head coach Hansi Flick said in his pre-match press conference that Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Nico Schlotterbeck and Iklay Gündogan would play, but he has sprung a couple of surprises in the rest of the team. Jonathan Tah begins at centre-back alongside Schlotterbeck, Paris Saint-Germain duo Thilo Kehrer and Julian Draxler both start, former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl makes his first Germany appearance since featuring in a friendly against England in March 2017, while Jamal Musiala and Chelsea pair Kai Havertz and Timo Werner are set to cause mischief up front.
GERMANY STARTING XI
Ter Stegen - Kehrer, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Raum - Weigl, Gündogan (c) - Draxler, Musiala, Havertz - Werner
