Dominant Germany win in Georgia
Sunday, March 29, 2015
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Georgia 0-2 Germany
Marco Reus and Thomas Müller scored late in the first half to make Germany's superiority count.
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• Germany ease to three Group D points with victory in Georgia
• Marco Reus and Thomas Müller strike late in first half
• Reus also rattles crossbar twice
• Georgia lose Aleksandre Amisulashvili to early injury
• Next qualifiers: Poland v Georgia, Gibraltar v Germany (13 June)
Two goals late in the first half were enough to give Germany a deserved UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group D victory in Georgia.
There was an early blow for Georgia when Aleksandre Amisulashvili limped off to be replaced by Lasha Dvali. Marco Reus then hit the crossbar and Thomas Müller turned a Toni Kroos corner wide as Germany had the better of the early exchanges – looking, in Joachim Löw's words, to "rev up their engines" after a disappointing 2-2 home draw with Australia in midweek.
Reus was the biggest threat and it was the No11 who broke the deadlock in the 39th minute. Mario Götze slalomed into the box and rolled the ball into the path of Reus to provide Germany with a deserved advantage.
Giorgi Loria did well to deny Reus shortly afterwards but Müller doubled Germany's lead just five minutes after the opener. Mesut Özil set Müller free to produce a low finish that takes his qualifying goal tally to five.
Giorgi Chanturia was sent on as a half-time substitute and new coach Kakhaber Tskhadadze's team began to have more of the play. Yet just before the hour Reus placed another shot onto the bar and Germany pushed hard for a third in the later stages, though Bastian Schweinsteiger was relieved to deflect a Georgia cross narrowly wide.