Germany on brink of World Cup qualification

LUXEMBOURG:

Germany forward Nick Woltemade scored twice in the second half to give the four-time world champions a hard-earned 2-0 win over Luxembourg in their penultimate 2026 World Cup qualifier on Friday, leaving them on the brink of automatic qualification.

Woltemade, who has now scored his team's last three goals after also netting the winner in their 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland last month, put the visitors in front in the 49th minute. He slid in to connect with a Leroy Sane cutback with the Germans surprisingly on the backfoot for much of the first half.

The Newcastle United striker added another in the 69th minute to keep Germany top of Group A on 12 points, with Slovakia, their next opponents on Monday, in second place on goal difference.

"In the first half we lacked intensity and did not have enough possession," Woltemade said. "We did it better after the break, increased the pressure. We scored at the right times. It was not a great show but we got the three points.

"It was important to find the switch in the second half and realise we did not do enough in the first," Woltemade said.

"There was quite a bit of pressure on the game. To score twice here is good but it is the three points that count no matter who scores."
Julian Nagelsmann's team lacked any real punch up front in the first half while littering the pitch with defensive errors that allowed 
Luxembourg to carve out several scoring chances.

Germany, however, will now book their ticket for next year's World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, with a win or a draw in Monday's final qualifier against the Slovaks. The group winners earn automatic qualification while the second-placed team will head to the playoffs in March.

The hosts were not intimidated by the Germans, and Luxembourg had chances through Aiman Dardari and Danel Sinani in the first 25 minutes, with four shots towards goal for them compared to Germany's two by that stage.

Germany's busiest man in the first half was keeper Oliver Baumann and they had to wait until the 49th minute to break the deadlock with Woltemade's well-timed run.

Dardari's 52nd minute shot flew just wide of the post as Luxembourg refused to give up, and Christopher Martins came even closer but also missed the target from point blank range in the 66th, before Woltemade's second goal settled German nerves.

'No player assured of spot in US World Cup squad'

US coach Mauricio Pochettino has warned players that "no one can feel safe" about their chances of making the final squad for next year's World Cup on home soil.

The U.S., who have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup as co-hosts of the tournament alongside neighbours Mexico and Canada, host Paraguay and Uruguay in a pair of international friendly matches this month.

Pochettino's side will be without the injured duo of attacker Christian Pulisic and midfielder Tyler Adams, affording the Argentine manager an opportunity to assess his options ahead of the World Cup.

"For me these are the players that today, they deserve to be here and are the players that we want to see, are the players that are our choice, our selection," Pochettino told reporters on Friday.

"And then no one can feel safe or no one can feel that they're going to be (on the roster), even the names that you say: (Christian) 

Pulisic or Tyler Adams. I think the federation is bigger than the names that (are in) the national team."

AC Milan's Pulisic opted to skip the matches against Paraguay and Uruguay after suffering a low-grade injury to his right hamstring during the United States' 2-1 win in a friendly against Australia last month.

"(Pulisic) was perfect when he played against Australia, but that happened and we see what happened," Pochettino said.

"The most important thing is that all the players arrive fit in a very good condition the day that we are going to start the World Cup, or maybe a little bit before because I need to prepare the roster."