Toni Kroos scored twice but Matthias Ginter and Manuel Neuer were unlikely Germany heroes against Belarus as they qualified for Euro 2020.
2020 EURO qualification
4-0
Match reports
Germany qualified for Euro 2020 with an ultimately comfortable 4-0 win over Belarus following Toni Kroos' brace at Borussia Park.
Needing Northern Ireland to fail to beat Netherlands in order to secure their place at the finals with victory on Saturday, Joachim Low's men initially struggled to hold up their end of the bargain.
Indeed, Germany laboured for 41 minutes until Matthias Ginter belatedly netted and teed up a second-half stroll.
Leon Goretzka swept in the second, Kroos added the third and then a brilliant fourth, while Group C rivals Northern Ireland were held, setting celebrations in motion in Monchengladbach.
Group Standing
Match Events
20' CLOSE! Kroos hits the net
Martynovich pulls a penalty-box Cruyff turn out of nowhere to bamboozle Werner, but his clearance upfield gives the ball straight back to Germany. Kroos then rockets one into the top-left corner from the edge of the area, until the ball rolls away and everybody realises it was actually into the side-netting.
39' What a save from Neuer
Belarus twice go close! Stasevich cuts inside from the left and fires a rocket towards the far top corner, but Neuer makes a sensational save. Belarus get the ball back and find Laptev in the area. He manages to turn and shoot, but again Neuer is there.
41' GOAL! Germany 1-0 Belarus (Ginter)
GOAL! 1-0 Germany, Ginter scores! Gnabry gets the ball on the right, dances around Dragun and fires in a low cross which the defender turns home brilliantly with a spinning flick.
49' GOAL! Germany 2-0 Belarus (Goretzka)
GOAL! Germany double their lead, Goretzka with a good finish! Germany win a corner on the right and Kroos fires it hard toward the edge of the area. Ginter dummies it for Goretzka, who side-foots it with his right, first-time into the bottom-left corner.
55' GOAL! Germany 3-0 Belarus (Kroos)
GOAL! 3-0 Germany, Kroos gets in on the act! After another air shot from Werner, Kimmich wins the ball back at the edge of the area. It's played around a bit before Ginter finds Kroos at the corner of the D, and he bends a first-time right-footed shot inside the right post. The keeper doesn't bother to dive, it was a sweet strike.
75' Neuer saves penalty!
Penalty for Belarus! They hold the ball up at the edge of the area for what seems like far too long, but eventually Nekhajchik breaks in behind and Koch brings him down.
Great save! Stasevich steps up and hits the penalty toward the bottom-left corner, but Neuer gets down to tip it around the post.
83' GOAL! Germany 4-0 Belarus (Kroos)
4-0! Brilliant from Kroos! It's an almost lazy attack from Germany with Belarus apparently having given up the ghost. After a cross from Brandt on the left, Gundogan plays a short pass to Kroos who spins around his marker and fires into the bottom-right corner.
Player Ratings
