Mlapa completes treble as Germany win in Greece

Germany maintained their 100% record in UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying Group 1 with Peniel Mlapa completing his hat-trick against ten-man Greece in added time.

Greece looked to have snatched a share of the points when substitute Panagiotis Vlachodimos struck from close range three minutes into time added on, shortly after Kostas Fortounis had been shown a straight red card. However, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim striker Mlapa was to have the last word, firing Germany back in front with his right foot at the death and taking them nine points clear of second-placed Greece, who have a game in hand.

Thanos Petsos lobbed his 1. FC Kaiserslautern team-mate Kevin Trapp on 22 minutes to put Greece in front, but Mlapa responded six minutes later. Trapp made a brilliant double save to deny Fortounis and Charis Mavrias and Mlapa then hit the post before being set up for a second by Lewis Holtby in first-half added time. However, there was time for Fortounis to make it 2-2 before the break.

Olivier Baumann came on for Trapp at the break and made a great series of blocks to deny Fortounis and Apostolos Giannou before Alexander Esswein converted Maximilian Beister's ball in the 56th minute to make it 3-2. Petsos responded soon after following great work from Fortounis, but Stefan Bell restored Germany's advantage with a header from a corner three minutes from the end, prompting a frenzied but ultimately heartbreaking finale for Greece. Both are in midweek action, Greece welcoming Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday and Germany visiting Cyprus the following evening.