Ice cold in Iceland: clinical Germany close in on World Cup berth

Reykjavik (dpa) – A dominant display by Germany brought a 4-0 win in Iceland to conclude the first triple-header under new coach Hansi Flick and put the team on course for a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Serge Gnabry needed only four minutes to open the scoring and Antonio Ruediger’s fine header doubled the lead before the break. Leroy Sane smashed a third just before the hour mark and Timo Werner completed the rout in the last minute.

Germany could have scored several more goals though Iceland will also feel they deserved to get on the scoresheet with a consolation.

Flick’s reign has started with three wins following previous triumphs over Liechtenstein and Armenia. Germany lead Group J by four points from Armenia with four qualifiers remaining.

“It was important that we set a signal again,” captain Manuel Neuer told RTL. “I think we have not let anything go and were very dominant.”

Flick said “the way and method we play football is a step forward” and though everything was not yet “at 100 per cent, you can also not expect that.”

Iceland are a shadow of the side which reached the last World Cup and quarter-finals of Euro 2016 and sitting fifth of six teams will not be going to Qatar.

Germany in contrast are in pole position for the one automatic qualifying spot given to the group winners and never looked back from Gnabry breaking the deadlock.

The winger completed a move made in Munich as he tapped in Sane’s cross after he was fed by a third Bayern player in Joshua Kimmich.

Ruediger guided a free header in from Kimmich’s 24th minute free kick while Iceland finally threatened when Johann Gudmundsson hit a weak shot at keeper Neuer.

Gudmundsson did go closer with a superb strike off the post and Albert Gudmundsson turned in the rebound when offside.

By then Werner had missed a one-on-one and straight afterwards Kai Havertz somehow turned wide at the end of a three-on-one break.

Sane did find the net from a tight angle and Werner guided home from Havertz’s pass to score having earlier turned over an open goal from Lukas Klostermann’s cross.

Armenia had earlier missed the chance to put pressure on Germany when they were held 1-1 at home by Liechtenstein in World Cup qualifying but they remain in the play-off spot, one point better than third-place Romania, who drew 0-0 with North Macedonia.

“It’s firstly important that we collected nine points from the three games,” said Ruediger. “I think it also had to be with more goals today. But it was a very good week and a half.”

Germany are next in action October 8 when they host Romania before visiting North Macedonia three days later.