By Goal.com News on Wednesday, 31 March 2021
Category: Goal.com News

Germany lose to North Macedonia on home soil

That's all for today, goodbye! 

That win takes North Macedonia above Germany in Group J on goal difference into second place behind Armenia. Their attention now turns towards the Euros in June. Germany drop to third and Low will be hoping they can quickly put this result behind them when they start their preparations for the Euros.

North Macedonia shock Germany with a 2-1 win. Goretzka rattled the crossbar with an early shot, but it was the visitors that took the lead just before half-time when Pandev tapped in Bardhi's cross. Germany pulled one back after Sane was brought down in the box by Alioski and Gundogan converted the spot-kick. Elmas then scored in the 85th minute, with the help of a deflection which took it past Ter Stegen, to seal the points for North Macedonia.

90' + 9' FULL-TIME: GERMANY 1-2 NORTH MACEDONIA.

90' + 7' There's been a clash of heads between Can and Ristovski as they tried to get on the end of Ter Stegen's clearance and they've stayed down. The medical teams are on now to give them some treatment and they're both able to walk off the field.

90' + 5' North Macedonia have a lot of players forward as they look to try and add a third goal here and Spirovski drills a shot on goal from the edge of the box. It hits Ademi on the way through which takes it looping onto the crossbar, but the flag goes up against the midfielder.

90' + 2' Sane has space to run into down the right but he chooses to cut inside and have a go from just outside the box instead. It's a wild effort from him though which curls high and wide of the far post.

87' Germany are trying to get back on level terms and are straight on the attack after the restart. Gundogan plays an early throughball into the box, but none of his team-mates make a run to get on the end of it and Dimitrievski comes to collect it.

83' It's a great run by Elmas through the middle as he weaves past three Germany defenders to get to the edge of the box before he's crowded out. He pulls it back for Spirovski who hits a low shot on goal, but it's a comfortable one for Ter Stegen.

80' WHAT A MISS! It's a brilliant throughball from Kimmich to pick out Gundogan and he's one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He unselfishly chooses to square it to Werner who is left with a simple tap-in, but he gets it all wrong and drags it well wide of the near post.

79' Alioski tries to pick out Pandev's run into the box with a throughball, but it's cut out by Can which sets Germany on the counter-attack. It's well-worked down the right for the hosts, but Sane can't pick out Werner at the near post.

76' There are big shouts for a penalty from the North Macedonia players for a handball against Can. Alioski curled his cross into the box which was missed by Ademi and although his arm is down, it does look like Can blocked the header with it but nothing is given.

75' North Macedonia patiently work their way upfield and nobody picks up Alioski on the left. He whips another good cross into the box, but Ginter just gets enough on it to send it out for a corner.

73' CHANCE! Ginter finds himself high upfield on the right and he drills a low cross into Kimmich. His first touch gets him in on goal but his low shot is blocked by Ristovski and it loops up kindly for Dimitrievski.

71' It's still all Germany at the moment as they continue to patiently play out from the back, but they're still struggling to find a way in behind the visitors. Sane tries to pick out Gnabry's run into the far post but sees his cross cut out by Ristovski.

69' North Macedonia just can't get out of their own half at the moment as Younes wins the ball off Elmas and touches it onto Werner. He turns and tries to pick out Gundogan's run through the middle, but there's too much on it and Dimitrievski collects it.

66' Trajkovski breaks quickly on the counter through the middle and he does well to pick out Bardhi's run to his right. His first touch is heavy and takes it away from him but he still manages to get a shot away from the edge of the box which is blocked by Gundogan.

65' North Macedonia win a free-kick through the middle and Alioski floats a great cross into the box. Ademi is chasing it down at the far post, but he can't get his head on it and Ter Stegen is able to collect it for Germany.

62' PENALTY TO GERMANY! Sane cuts inside from the right and he's holding the ball up well while he tries to pick out a pass. He cuts back as Alioski slides in and the defender takes out Sane's standing leg and the referee points straight to the spot.

61' North Macedonia can't make anything of the corner, but they keep hold of the ball high up the field. Bardhi has Pandev making a late run into the box but it's a wild cross from him that flies straight out of play.

58' Younes can't find a way past Ristovski down the left so he pulls the ball back for Kimmich just outside the box. He plays a throughball into Gnabry first time but it's behind him and Dimitrievski comes off his line to collect it.

54' Sane is given a lot of space down the right again and he squares it to Havertz just inside the box. Alioski is quick to close him down though and the forward can't knock it past him to get in on goal.

52' Rudiger almost plays himself into trouble after intercepting Dimitrievski's goal-kick, but he wants too long on the ball. He lets it bounce in front of him as Pandev closes him down, but he manages to hook it clear just in time.

50' It's a great cross into the box from Sane and he has a lot of people to aim for. It's Goretzka who rises highest to get on the end of it, but again, Germany overwork it by passing it around instead of having a shot and Velkoski breaks up the attack.

48' Can drives to the edge of the box from centre-back and touches it out to Gundogan on the left. He tries to pick out the defender again, but Musliu steps back across for North Macedonia to intercept it.

46' Germany get us back underway for the second half! 

Angelovski will be very pleased so far as his side have frustrated Germany at the back while looking dangerous on the counter. They took the chance when it presented itself and he'll be hoping for more of the same after the break. As for Germany, they've looked out of ideas at times and Low will want to see a huge improvement in the second half if they want to get back into the game.

North Macedonia score late in the first half to lead Germany 1-0 at the break. The hosts have dominated the game for large periods, coming closest when Goretzka rattled the crossbar with an early shot. Gnabry also fired over from close range and saw an effort well-saved by Dimitrievski. At the other end, Ademi saw a header pushed away by Ter Stegen before Pandev scored a tap-in after Germany failed to clear their lines.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: GERMANY 0-1 NORTH MACEDONIA.

45' + 1' Sane is still trying to make something happen for Germany down the right, but he's having to hold the ball up while he waits for support to join him. He swings a cross into the box, but it's played straight to Musliu who clears his lines.

44' Alioski switches play out to Nikolov on the right and he tries to catch out Germany by swinging an early cross into the box. He has Pandev to aim for in the middle, but Rudiger gets ahead of him to clear his lines.

42' Germany are dominating in possession again now, but they're still struggling to find a way in behind North Macedonia. Kimmich tries a throughball into Gnabry, but there's too much on it and Dimitrievski comes off his line to collect it.

40' GREAT SAVE! North Macedonia win a free-kick on the right wing and Alioski whips a dangerous cross into the near post. Ademi gets a glancing header on it and Ter Stegen makes a brilliant reflex save to push it away and out for a corner.

39' Ademi stayed down after being caught by Rudiger and he's holding his ankle. He's back on his feet after receiving treatment and is moving gingerly, but it looks like he wants to carry on.

35' Again, Germany get into a great position as Gnabry squeezes the ball into the box to Goretzka, but they overwork it. Instead of going for goal himself, he tries to pick out Sane and North Macedonia pile back to crowd them out.

33' It's a brilliant switch of play from Ginter to pick out Gosens' run down the left and he volleys a cross into the box first time. It's ahead of Gnabry, but Havertz latches onto it at the far post. He should go for goal but tries to set up Goretzka instead and gifts the ball to Velkoski.

31' MISS! Gosens whips a great cross into Goretzka in the middle and he does well to touch the ball onto Gnabry on the right of the box under pressure. He takes a touch before firing his shot over Dimitrievski and over the top of the bar from close range.

30' North Macedonia are trying to break quickly every time they do win the ball back and Pandev does really well to turn away from Goretzka on the left. He curls a cross towards Trajevski, but can only find Rudiger.

27' GOOD SAVE! Havertz takes a quick free-kick to Sane in midfield and he picks out Gnabry on the left with an early throughball. He cuts into the box and goes for goal from a tight angle, but Dimitrievski gets down to make the save with his foot.

25' Alioski touches the ball into Ademi on the left of the area, but Germany are quick to crowd around him so he plays it back to Alioski. He fizzes a low cross into the six-yard box, but Trajkovski can't reach it at the near post.

23' North Macedonia win a free-kick and Bardhi goes short to Alioski, who swings a great, deep cross into the far post from the left. He picks out Ristovski but he can't send his header towards goal under pressure from Rudiger.

21' Germany are struggling to break North Macedonia down at the moment. They're dominating possession, but it's all in front of the visitors, who are happy to just sit back without the ball.

19' Ginter is holding the ball up well as he pushes forward down the right, but none of his team-mates are making a run into the box. He ends up trying to swing a cross into the middle anyway but a big deflection off Musliu takes it straight to Dimitrievski.

17' North Macedonia win a free-kick in their own half on the right and they try to go long to Pandev, who is in a lot of space on the opposite flank. It's a good idea from Bardhi, but there's not enough on it and Ginter cuts it out.

15' Germany are still dominating in possession and are keeping North Macedonia penned back deep in their own half. Sane squares it to Gundogan just outside the box and he decides to have a go from distance, but his effort is blocked Velkoski.

13' Sane is trying to find some space to run into down the right but just can't get past Alioski so he turns and switches play out to the left. Can pushes forward from centre-back to try and help out, but his throughball into Gosens is cut out by Nikolov. 

11' Bardhi has pulled up and it looks like he has a problem with his hip. He's walking gingerly to the sideline, but after receiving some treatment, it looks like he's going to be able to carry on.

9' OFF THE BAR! Havertz is allowed a lot of space as he drives forward down the right and he squares it to Goretzka on the edge of the box. He takes a touch before firing his shot on goal. Dimitrievski is beaten, but it bounces back off the crossbar.

7' Trajkovski nicks the ball off Kimmich in midfield and his first thought is to get his side forward. He plays it out to Nikolov on the right and he drills a low cross into the box towards Pandev but Can steps across to intercept it.

4' Ginter is given a lot of space on the halfway line and he has time to pick out a long ball over the top to Gnabry. He times his run perfectly to stay onside but can't quite reach it on the stretch and it bounces out for a goal-kick.

2' Germany are dominating possession early in the game and North Macedonia haven't been able to get out of their own half. Gosens plays a throughball into Sane down the left, but his first touch lets him down and it bounces out of play.

1' Pandev gets the game underway for North Macedonia! 

The teams are out on the pitch now, with kick-off just moments away.

Germany have lost just one of their last 15 games in all competitions (W9 D5), though that was a 6-0 defeat to Spain at the end of last year, while North Macedonia come into this game having lost just two of their last 11 outings (W6 D3).

Igor Angelovski makes three changes to the team that beat Liechtenstein on Sunday, with Nikolov, Darko Velkoski and Ademi all coming into the starting line-up. Ristevski, Radeski and Spirovski drop to the bench.

Joachim Low makes just two changes to his side after their win over Romania last time out as he brings Ter Stegen into goal, with Gosens also coming in. Manuel Neuer sits this one out, with Klostermann starting on the bench.

NORTH MACEDONIA SUBS: Krste Velkoski, Kire Ristevski, Martin Bogatinov, Marjan Radeski, Stefan Askovski, Agim Ibraimi, Damjan Siskovski, Egzon Bejtulai, Ferhan Hasani, Vlatko Stojanovski, Stefan Spirovski.

NORTH MACEDONIA STARTING XI (5-3-2): Stole Dimitrievski; Boban Nikolov, Stefan Ristovski, Darko Velkoski, Visar Musliu, Ezgjan Alioski; Enis Bardhi, Arijan Ademi, Eljif Elmas; Goran Pandev, Aleksandar Trajkovski.

GERMANY SUBS: Florian Neuhaus, Philipp Max, Tim Werner, Jonathan Tah, Amin Younes, Kevin Trapp, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Lukas Klostermann, Bernd Leno.

GERMANY STARTING XI (4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Robin Gosens, Matthias Ginter, Antonio Rudiger, Emre Can; Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich, Ilkay Gundogan; Kai Havertz, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane.

Germany sit top of the group after winning their first two qualifiers so far, comfortably beating Iceland 3-0 before edging past Romania last time out with a 1-0 win despite dominating for most of the game. As for North Macedonia, they lost against Romania by conceding a late winner in their opener but bounced back with a big 5-0 win over Liechtenstein on Sunday.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the World Cup Qualifier in Group J between Germany and North Macedonia at the Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena!

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