UEFA Nations League: Werner shines as Germany beats Ukraine

Timo Werner scores in each half to help steer Germany from behind to a 3-1 home win over Ukraine.

Timo Werner (right) celebrates with team-mate Serge Gnabry after scoring one of his two goals on Saturday night in Leipzig. - AP

Germany striker Timo Werner scored in each half to help steer his side from behind to a 3-1 home win over Ukraine in the Nations League on Saturday as it topped the group with one round of games left to play.

Werner scored twice after Leroy Sane had cancelled out a surprise 12th minute lead for the visiting team, which had four players, including top striker Andriy Yarmolenko, ruled out after testing positive for COVID-19 on the eve of the game.

The Germans, in the midst of an overhaul following its 2018 World Cup first-round exit, is now top of Group A4 on nine points, one ahead of Spain which it visits on Tuesday. The top team qualifies for the final four stage of the competition.

'Satisfied'

Ukraine, which hit the woodwork three times, is third on six points, with Switzerland bottom on three after a 1-1 draw with visitor Spain.

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“We won a match against a good Ukrainian team and overall we can be satisfied,” coach Joachim Loew said. “We wanted also to warm up as a team (ahead of next year’s European Championship) and I think we did that to a certain extent. We had the game under control in the first half and we had a lot of pace. In the second half we were maybe not as focused.”

After getting the all-clear from Leipzig’s health authorities for the game to proceed, the Germans got off to a strong start but had to come from behind after Roman Yaremchuk scored against the run of play.

Werner scores twice as Germany beat Ukraine 3-1 & go top of their group #NationsLeaguepic.twitter.com/7K2B5CRuxb

— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2020) November 14, 2020

 

Leon Goretzka set up the next two goals, first launching a quick break and sending Sane through for the equaliser in the 23rd minute and then controlling a Robin Koch cross and lofting the ball for Werner to head the host in front 10 minutes later.

Gaps in defence

Germany, with its Bayern Munich contingent back in the squad after being rested in Wednesday 1-0 win over the Czech Republic in a friendly, still showed gaps in defence, having now managed just one clean sheet in its last seven matches.

It did not concede equalisers as in three of its previous five matches but was still lucky when Ukraine hit the post in the 53rd with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s deflected shot.

Werner fired home his second in the 64th before Ukraine hit the woodwork twice more through Marlos and substitute Junior Moraes in a strong finish.