Germany wins first match after World Cup 2022

* Score: Fullkrug 12' & 33'

In the first match after being eliminated from the 2022 World Cup, coach Hansi Flick tested the German team with a strange 4-2-2-2 system. The 19-year-old talent Florian Wirtz and Havertz support the striker duo Niclas Fullkrug and Timo Werner. Joshua Kimmich made his 75th appearance and made his fifth captain in a Germany shirt, partnering in midfield with Emre Can.

Midfielder Marius Wolf was the only rookie to be given a starting opportunity by Flick, while Kevin Schade, Mergim Berisha came on in the second half, and Josha Vagnoman and Felix Nmecha did not play a minute.

The two teams do not have a big difference in the FIFA rankings, when Germany is 14th and Peru is 21st, but the match at Mewa Arena, in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate yesterday was one-sided. The home side held the ball 66%, shot 17 times with six shots on target, while Peru only had two off-target finishes.

In the 12th minute, from a long pass that crossed the line at home, Havertz supported with his chest to let the long ball accidentally create an assist for Fullkrug to kick a diagonal touch to clear the deadlock. In the 33rd minute, he completed a double with a cut and a close-range cushion from Marius Wolf's cross.

Fullkrug continued his sublime performance in the Bundesliga - where he led the list of top scorers with 15 goals for rookie Werder Bremen in 25 games, the same year of assists. The 30-year-old striker is three goals ahead of the chasing group, and is only behind Monchengladbach's Marcus Thuram in terms of shots on target (70 versus 76). Fullkrug, who was named the Bundesliga's best player in September and October, is also in the top four of the competition's most winning players (321).

Last season, Fullkrug contributed 19 goals and eight assists, playing an important role in helping Bremen to be promoted to the Bundesliga. He also helped his hometown club Hannover stay relegated with 14 goals in the 2017-2018 season, and played explosively in the German second division with Nuremberg and Greuther Furth. At these two clubs, he scored a total of 24 goals in 85 matches.

Fullkrug was first called up to the Germany squad during the preparations for the 2022 World Cup, and currently has five goals in five games. "I'm taking the opportunity and am really happy to connect well with my teammates. So I hope it continues," Fullkrug told ZDF broadcaster after the win over Peru. "Today, it's important to have a good start to the new year."

In the 66th minute, Italian female referee Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi went to the border to review the video and determined that Nico Schlotterbeck had been fouled in the penalty area. On the 11m mark, Havertz hit the right post and then kicked it into the empty net. But Caputi denied the goal, because Havertz's back-kick counted as the second touch of the ball by the penalty taker.

After the game, Flick was satisfied when the attack showed dynamism and the defense kept a clean sheet. But the 58-year-old coach pointed out that the players repeatedly passed the decisive shots that were not sharp and lost control. He wants Germany to continue to improve in a friendly match against Belgium at RheinEnergie, Cologne on March 28.