"This defensive approach would not take long to bite them, when a short corner in the 9th minute saw Bayern Munich midfielder Tom Bischof dribble away from his defender, see that every Malta player had backed away into the box and just let one rip. The shot completely wrong footed the goalkeeper and the ball zipped into the near post. With Bischof's first goal for the U-21s, the deadlock had been broken and the floodgates should have opened fully."
"But...it would not happen yet, though it was not for a lack of trying. Germany managed to get in behind Malta's full-backs time and time again, lift a cross into the box and the flood the opposition box with forwards. Again and again, this led to massive chances. Forward Ilyas Ansah mishit a golden opportunity, center forward Nicolò Tresoldi should have had at least a hat trick, Mert Kömür dribbled brilliantly past multiple opponents and the goalkeeper only for one more defender to just deflect the shot wide."
Germany entered the match needing a win after collecting six points from three games and dropping to fourth, six points behind group leaders Greece. Malta arrived with zero points and a minus-12 goal difference and set up defensively with eleven men behind the ball. A short corner in the ninth minute allowed Bayern midfielder Tom Bischof to dribble free and fire low into the near post for his first U-21 goal. Germany dominated possession and produced repeated chances, with Ilyas Ansah, Nicolò Tresoldi and Mert Kömür all squandering openings. Malta goalkeeper Karl Sargent produced multiple stunning saves and kept his side in the match.
Read at Bavarian Football Works
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