Germany U21s complete stunning comeback victory in di Salvo debut
The German U21s left it late in Paderborn, but were still able to ensure that head-coach Antonio di Salvo's tenure with the DFB Juniors ended in a victory.
Malik Tillman, Kevin Schade, and Jonathan Burkhardt scored in the win, which featured two goals in the final two minutes.
Malik Tillman, Kevin Schade, and Jonathan Burkhardt scored in the win, which featured two goals in the final two minutes.
| Antonio Di Salvo. | Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Di Salvo lined up his team in 4-2-3-1. Nineteen-year-old Nürnberg striker Erik Shuranov spearheaded the attack in his starting XI debut. Kevin Schade (SC Freiburg), Luca Netz (Borussia Mönchengladbach), and Malik Tillman (FC Bayern München) were also handed their first starts.
Di Salvo's side engineered most of the chances, but it was the Israelis who took the lead just before the half-hour-mark. A defensive error from fullback Jean Manuel Mbom enabled Sinsheim native Ilay Elmkies to unlock one of his teammates for the opening 28th minute goal.
The German hosts answered back within six minutes. Malik Tillman finished off a chance provided to him by Shuranov in the 34th. Di Salvo's men proceeded to miss several clear chances thereafter and the teams entered the locker room tied at 1-1.
⏹️ Abpfiff in Paderborn!
— DFB-Junioren (@DFB_Junioren) October 7, 2021
Was für eine Schlussphase!🤩🥳 Das war #HERZZEIGEN bis zum Abpfiff! 🖤❤️💛 Ein denkwürdiges Debüt von Toni Di Salvo!
⚽️ 3:2 #GERISR #U21 #HERZZEIGEN pic.twitter.com/ko6Y1ogUd1
The DFB-XI were made to pass for their profligacy in front of goal six minutes after the restart when Omri Gandelmann put the guests ahead 2-1 in the 51st. It appeared simply not to be Germany's day as keeper Omer Niron (with some help from the post and crossbar) kept the hosts from finding the back of the net.
Schade nevertheless headed home the equalizer in the 88th. To cap the dramatic comeback, Mainz's Jonathan Burkhardt lofted above the keeper and then finished spectacularly with his head in the first minute of injury time.
The 21-year-old skipper had missed a multitude of chances over the match before finally converting.