Germany, Nov 18 : Germany sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup with a devastating 6–0 victory over Slovakia in Group A, completing a commanding qualifying campaign.
Needing just a point to secure top spot, Germany dominated from the opening whistle. Nick Woltemade headed home the first after captain Joshua Kimmich delivered a pinpoint cross. Seconds later, Serge Gnabry finished a slick passing move involving Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leon Goretzka to double the lead, signalling Germany’s early control.
Florian Wirtz soon took centre stage, orchestrating play with his trademark precision. His incisive through-ball sent Leroy Sane through for Germany’s third, before the playmaker picked out the winger again at the back post to make it 4–0.
Slovakia who had stunned Germany in the reverse fixture struggled to build any rhythm and rarely threatened on the counterattack.
Germany continued their dominance after the break, keeping possession and stretching Slovakia’s defensive shape. Substitute Ridle Baku smashed in the fifth shortly after coming on, delighting the Leipzig crowd. The night ended with a milestone moment as 19-year-old Assan Ouedraogo capped his senior international debut with a deflected sixth following another smart pass from Sane.
The emphatic win confirms Germany as Group A winners and secures their seeded position for December’s World Cup draw. Slovakia now faces a tougher path as it prepares for the European play-offs.
“Our coach prepared us really well, and we executed everything the way we needed to. In the end, we delivered a strong performance. We knew exactly what was at stake. The World Cup is the biggest stage you can experience,” captain Joshua Kimmich said.
Elsewhere, Northern Ireland edged Luxembourg 1–0 in their final outing. In Group G, the Netherlands booked their 2026 berth with a routine 4–0 victory over Lithuania, scoring three times in four minutes. Poland beat Malta 3–2 but finished second, sending Lewandowski’s side into the play-offs.
In Group L, Croatia completed an unbeaten run with a 3–2 win against Montenegro, while the Czech Republic hammered Gibraltar 6–0 to claim second place.