Playoffs prevented Germany shoot their way to the World Cup with a gala performance against Slovakia

Germany clear the final hurdle to the 2026 World Cup with ease. The four-time world champions win the decisive top match of their group against Slovakia in Leipzig 6:0 without any discussion.

The criticism that the German national team had to put up with after their poor performance in Luxembourg three days ago had no negative impact. In Leipzig, national coach Julian Nagelsmann's team played with pressure and uncompromisingly from the very first minute. One half was enough to answer the question of the winner.

Nick Woltemade opened the scoring for Germany with his fourth goal in succession shortly after the end of the first quarter of an hour. Between the 29th and 41st minutes, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sané twice increased the score to 4:0. For the ever-controversial Sané, these were his first goals for the national team in a year - each after passes from Florian Wirtz, who, like Sané at Galatasaray Istanbul, has not yet delivered the performances he hoped for at Liverpool this season. It was fitting for the perfect German evening that two Leipzig jokers, Ridle Baku and Assan Ouédraogo, made the 6:0 victory perfect. Debutant Ouédraogo only needed two minutes of action for his goal.

21st World Cup appearance - Slovakia and Poland in the play-offs

While Germany are making their 21st appearance at the World Cup, Slovakia can still hope to make their second appearance after the 2010 tournament in South Africa. They will find out which two opponents they have to beat in the play-off draw on Thursday.

Poland must also hope to make the play-offs. Even before the last match, the team led by top scorer Robert Lewandowski no longer had a realistic chance of beating the Netherlands to win the group. The latter celebrated their participation in the World Cup in Amsterdam with a 4:0 win over Lithuania.

Lewandowski trembles for participationWorld Cup ticket for the Netherlands - play-offs for Poland

On the very last matchday of the World Cup qualifiers before the play-offs in March, five direct World Cup tickets will be awarded on Tuesday. Switzerland, Spain and Belgium should easily secure them, while the direct duels between Austria and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Vienna and Scotland and Denmark at Hampden Park in Glasgow promise to be exciting.

Germany

Completed

6:0

(4:0)

Slovakia

• Nick Woltemade - 1:0 (18.)
• Serge Gnabry - 2:0 (29.)
• Leroy Sané - 3:0 (36.)
• Leroy Sané - 4:0 (41.)
• Ridle Baku - 5:0 (67.)
• Assan Ouédraogo - 6:0 (79.)

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90.+2.
End of 2nd half
82.
Substitution in Slovakia

Peter Pekarík
Defender
82.
Substitution out Slovakia

David Duris
Striker
79.
Goal for Germany, 6:0 through Assan Ouédraogo (Leroy Sané)
Assan Ouédraogo
Midfielder

Assist: Leroy Sané
Midfielder
77.
Substitution in Germany
Assan Ouédraogo
Midfielder
77.
Substitution out Germany

Florian Wirtz
Midfielder
72.
Substitution in Germany
Nathaniel Brown
Defender
72.
Substitution out Germany

David Raum
Defender
70.
Yellow card Germany
Malick Thiaw
70.
Yellow card Germany
Jonathan Tah
68.
Substitution in Slovakia
Tomas Bobcek
Striker
68.
Substitution out Slovakia

David Strelec
Striker
67.
Goal for Germany, 5:0 through Ridle Baku (Serge Gnabry)

Ridle Baku
Defender

Assist: Serge Gnabry
Midfielder
64.
Substitution in Germany

Malick Thiaw
Defender
64.
Substitution out Germany

Nico Schlotterbeck
Defender
64.
Substitution in Germany

Ridle Baku
Defender
64.
Substitution out Germany

Joshua Kimmich
Defender
46.
Substitution in Slovakia

Lubomír Šatka
Defender
46.
Substitution out Slovakia

Ondrej Duda
Midfielder
46.
Substitution in Slovakia

Ivan Schranz
Striker
46.
Substitution out Slovakia

Norbert Gyömbér
Defender
46.
Substitution in Germany
Felix Nmecha
Midfielder
46.
Substitution out Germany

Aleksandar Pavlovic
Midfielder
46.
Kick-off 2nd half
45.+3.
End of 1st half
41.
Goal for Germany, 4:0 through Leroy Sané (Florian Wirtz)

Leroy Sané
Midfielder

Assist: Florian Wirtz
Midfielder
36.
Goal for Germany, 3:0 through Leroy Sané (Florian Wirtz)

Leroy Sané
Midfielder

Assist: Florian Wirtz
Midfielder
29.
Goal for Germany, 2:0 through Serge Gnabry (Leon Goretzka)

Serge Gnabry
Midfielder

Assist: Leon Goretzka
Midfielder
24.
Substitution in Slovakia

Tomas Rigo
Midfielder
24.
Substitution out Slovakia

Matúš Bero
Midfielder
18.
Goal for Germany, 1:0 through Nick Woltemade (Joshua Kimmich)

Nick Woltemade
Striker

Assist: Joshua Kimmich
Defender
1.
Start of the match