A professional performance from Antonio Di Salvo’s side saw Germany secure a 2-0 victory against Albania in Elbasan, with both goals scored within four minutes early in the second half (48’, 52’).
The match marked a comeback for Germany following their final defeat in Bratislava, with debut goals from Ilyas Ansah and Dženan Pejčinović contributing to the win.
In the first half, the game exhibited the characteristics of a friendly, as both teams were cautious in their approach. Albania had a slight edge in the opening exchanges, creating only half chances, while Germany faced minimal pressure in possession but struggled to penetrate the Albanian defense.
Aside from yellow cards issued to Zylyf Muça (Albania) and Joshua Quarshie (Germany) during a drinks break, the first half saw few notable incidents. However, Germany began to assert themselves as the half progressed, with opportunities starting to materialize. A header by Weiper went astray, and Tresoldi's shot was saved low by Jukaj. Despite their efforts, Germany could not break through, and the score remained 0-0 at halftime.
As anticipated, Di Salvo made significant changes at halftime, introducing ten new players while retaining only Umut Tohumcu from the first half. The revamped German side quickly made an impact, with Ilyas Ansah scoring just three minutes after the restart. A clever pass from Muhammed Damar allowed Ansah to finish clinically, marking his U21 debut with a goal.
Germany's momentum continued shortly after, as Dženan Pejčinović scored in the 52nd minute following a well-placed ball from Tom Rothe, extending the lead to 2-0. This quick succession of goals left Albania struggling to regain their composure.
Although the tempo of the game slowed after the double strike, Germany maintained control. Albania attempted to increase their intensity for a response, but this opened them up to counterattacks from Di Salvo’s side, who sought a third goal that ultimately did not materialize. The match concluded with a 2-0 scoreline, emphasizing Germany's depth and effective second-half performance.
Di Salvo will take encouragement from the sharpness displayed by his substitutes, particularly Ansah and Pejčinović, after a first half where his team dominated without scoring. The focus now shifts to Germany's upcoming challenge: the start of their 2027 European Championship qualifying campaign against Latvia in Rostock on Tuesday at 20:30 CEST.
0 Comments