Florian Wirtz’s wondergoal inside eight seconds helped Germany rip up the form book and earn a well-deserved 2-0 win over France in Lyon.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side were three games without a victory coming into this friendly encounter at the Groupama Stadium, but any early nerves that they had were shattered within mere seconds as their young starlet Wirtz hammered home a right-footed rocket before France had even had a touch of the ball.
Kai Havertz doubled Die Mannschaft’s advantage four minutes into the second half, sweeping home after excellent work between Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, with the latter’s delightful control and lay-off perfect for the onrushing Arsenal forward to slot into an empty net.
Didier Deschamps’ hosts were uncharacteristically pedestrian – with their talisman Kylian Mbappe completely off the pace – but they grew into the game in the dying embers of the first half, with Mbappe missing two half-chances, and Jules Kounde stinging the palms of Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the German goal.
Ousmane Dembele, the brightest light in a dim French side, curled an effort just wide of the mark on 57 minutes, and debutant left-back Max Mittelstadt was denied a ‘traumtor’ by the fingertips of Brice Samba in the closing stages, while the former Nottingham Forest shot-stopper also kept out Thomas Muller and Deniz Undav’s double-salvo in the 82nd minute.
France looked bereft of ideas as they sought to get back into the encounter, but this, no matter how much of a friendly this is supposed to be, will be a huge victory for Nagelsmann and Germany.