Germany, already mathematically classified for Qatar 2022, passed the steamroller over modest Liechtenstein, in a match that ended with a defeat (9-0) and that had to face a disadvantage for a large part due to the expulsion of Hofer.
The aspiration of Liechtenstein, a small selection full of players who serve on minor league and lower level teams, could only be to offer resistance for as long as possible.
They had had some success in the first leg, with an honorable 0-2 loss and a great performance from goalkeeper Benjamin Büchel.
On this occasion, however, the resistance was soon broken. It all started in the 9th minute when there was a penalty in favor of Germany when Hofer, trying to cut a cross, nailed Leon Goretzka’s neck with the studs.
Hofer was sent off with a direct red card and Ilkay Gündogan converted the penalty for Germany.
Outnumbered, Liechtenstein no longer had a way to resist a Germany that from the first minute had had it locked up in its area from the first moment.
The chances started to pile up. A couple of saves from Büchel and the crossbar – a header from Gündogan. They put things off a bit but from minute 20 on, everything happened very quickly.
Kaufmann first scored at his own goal when trying to deflect a cross from Christian Günter. Then, on the 21st, Leroy Sané scored the third with a shot inside the area from Goretzka and on the 23rd Marco Reus signed the fourth after Büchel went wrong to a Müller cross that was looking for Reus.
Then Liechtenstein organized a little better defensively, despite which in the first half they could have fallen more goals.
In the fifth he arrived in 49, marked by Sané with a shot with his right foot to the center of Reus.
Germany kept playing, sometimes embellishing themselves too much and failing on the last pass. The sixth goal was delayed until the 76th minute when Thomas Müller scored from a corner kick and several rebounds.
In the 79th, Kevin Volland headed off the crossbar, In the 80th Ridle Baku, with a shot to the far post from the right, made the seventh.
Müller repeated in 86 with a shot from the center of the area to Reus center, and in 90 came the ninth with a shot from Baku that hit Göppel’s head, leaving Büchel with no option.
Data sheet:
9 – Germany: Neuer; Hoffmann (Nmecha, 46), Kehrer (Ginter, 72), Rüdiger, Günter; Goretzka (Neuhaus, 46), Gündogan (Arnold, 64); Baku, Reus, Sané (Volland, 64); and Müller.
0 – Liechtenstein: Büchel; S. Wölfinger (Brändle, 83), Malin, Kaufmann, Hofer, Göppel; Sele (Büchel Martin, 84), Frommelt, Hasler, Frick (F. Wolfinger, 29) (Meier, 69); and Salanovic (Gruneldelder 69).
Goals: 1-0 (min 11, Gündogan from a penalty), 2-0 (min 20, Kaufmann in own goal), 3-0 (min 21, Sané), 4-0 (min 23, Reus), 5-0 ( min 49, Sané), 6-0 (min 76, Müller), 7-0 (min 80, Baku), 8-0 (min 86, Müller), 9-0 (min 90, Göppel in own goal)
Referee: Ivana Martincic (Croatia). He expelled Hofer with a direct red. Admonished Rüdiger
Incidents: Group J match of the European qualifying round for Qatar 2022.EFE