Rocco Reitz and Luca Netz ran out 2-0 winners over Israel in their EURO 2025 qualifying match for the Germany U21s in Slovakia. Austria’s senior side, featuring Max Wöber and Stefan Lainer, thrashed Türkiye in a friendly.
Germany U21s
Gladbach’s Rocco Reitz (pictured) and Luca Netz started for Germany’s U21s in their 2-0 win against Israel in European qualification. Netz played the full 90 minutes, while Reitz was replaced by Paul Nebel with ten minutes left on the clock. Reitz assisted Mainz’s Brajan Gruda for Germany’s opener (14’), before Merlin Röhl added a second after 56 minutes. Germany’s fifth win in six games has seen them re-overtake Poland at the summit of Group D with 16 points to the Poles’ 15 with a game in hand. The winners of each of the nine qualifying groups will secure qualification for the 2025 European U21 Championship, and will be joined by the three best runners-up.
Austria
Gladbach defenders Maximilian Wöber and Stefan Lainer celebrated an emphatic friendly victory for Austria over Türkiye in Vienna. Wöber played the full 90 minutes of the 6-1 win, while Lainer watched on from the bench. Austria’s goals at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion came courtesy of Xaver Schlager (2’), Michael Gregoritsch (44’, 48’, 59’ P), Christoph Baumgartner (78’ P) and Maximilian Entrup (90+5’). Hakan Calhanoglu provided the visitors’ only consolation with a 25th minute penalty. The result marked a fifth successive win for Ralf Rangnick’s team.
Switzerland
Borussia’s Nico Elvedi was on the pitch for the entirety of Switzerland’s 1-0 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin. Jonas Omlin, who received a late call-up to the squad following the withdrawal of fellow goalkeeper Yann Sommer, was not in the matchday squad. Xherdan Shaqiri netted the game’s only goal from a direct free kick in the 23rd minute.
Armenia
Despite taking the lead, Armenia fell to a 2-1 defeat against Czechia in Prague. Gladbach striker Grant-Leon Ranos came on for Lucas Zelarayan on 73 minutes. Edgar Sewikjan put the visitors ahead, before Ladislav Krejci (45+1’) and Tomas Chory (77’) secured a comeback victory for the Czechs.
