'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Unimpressive Germany beat minnows Liechtenstein 2-0 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Timo Werner and Leroy Sane were on target in either half for Die Mannschaft to kick-off the Hansi Flick era with a win.
The Chelsea man broke the deadlock just minutes before half-time after tapping home a pass from Jamal Musiala.
Until then, the visitors lacked attacking flair despite keeping possession, a narrative which continued into the second-half too.
However, Sane put some gloss on the scoreline with a second goal in the 77th minute, giving his former Bayern Munich manager a winning start to life as the new Germany coach.
Here are the player ratings for Germany:
Bernd Leno - 6.5/10
Liechtenstein were so toothless in attack that Leno might as well have cooked up barbeques in goal. He was merely a bystander in the game and didn't have to make a single save.
Ridle Baku - 6.5/10
In only his second appearance for Germany, the 23-year-old ran his socks off the right-flank and provided an outlet for the attack. He laid a few crosses too, although most of them were wayward.
Thilo Kehrer - 7/10
With Liechtenstein's attack virtually non-existent, he faced no challenge defensively. So, the PSG centre-back instead helped in building from the back. He completed 98% of his passes and completed all seven long-ball attempts too.
Niklas Sule - 7.5/10
Sule was just a better version of Kehrer, doing the same things with a greater degree of composure and effectiveness. He even managed to get a few shots away, although none of them were on target.
Robin Gosens - 7.5/10
Germany's best player at Euro 2020, Gosens displayed shades of those performances here too. He was a huge menace down the left flank and the most dangerous player in terms of shots attempted. One came off the woodwork too.
Ilkay Gundogan - 7/10
The midfield maestro was heavily involved in the proceedings and kept Liechtenstein busy with his attacking prowess.
Joshua Kimmich - 7/10
The Germany captain once again ran the show from midfield and showed an exemplary work-rate. He laid 88% of his passes and made four long balls, but his crosses came up to nothing.
Jamal Musiala - 7/10
While he offered no great shakes, Musiala surely deserves credit for creating the first goal with some astounding footwork.
Kai Havertz - 6.5/10
The Chelsea star toiled for an hour, struggling to impose himself on the game. To his credit, Havertz did lay out a couple of sublime passes.
Leroy Sane - 8/10
An electric performance from the estranged Bayern Munich winger, who was key to orchestrating their tempo, created a lot of chances. Laid four key passes and completed five dribble attempts, too.
Timo Werner - 7/10
Werner broke the deadlock for Germany by latching onto Musiala's pass after racing in behind the Liechtenstein defense. Otherwise, he was anonymous.
Substitutes
Serge Gnabry - 7/10
The Bayern Munich star brought a lot of flair and pace to Germany's attack but nothing came of it.
Marco Reus - 6.5/10
He nearly got a second goal for Germany in the 73rd minute but his effort was blocked.
Jonas Hofmann - 5.5/10
Hofmann knitted some good passes together from the right but overall just okay.
Leon Goretzka - 7/10
It only took a few minutes after coming on for Goreztak to make an impact, assisting Sane for his goal with a nice flick-on.
Florian Wirtz - N/A
Bayer Leverkusen's boy wonder didn't get much time tonight. But his services will surely be needed in the coming days.
