Nicolò Tresoldi starred with a clinical hat-trick as Germany U21 recovered from an early shock to secure a comfortable 4–1 victory over Malta U21 at the Centenary Stadium in their UEFA U21 Championship qualifier.
Early Shock and Swift Response
Malta got off to a dream start in the 9th minute when Basil Tuma capitalised on a swift counter-attack, driving a right-footed effort into the net from outside the box to give the underdog hosts a surprise 1–0 lead.
The lead was short-lived. Just two minutes later, Leandro Morgalla struck the post, and Germany captain Nicolò Tresoldi was on hand to pounce on the rebound from close range, restoring parity at 1–1.
Germany dominated territory and possession for the remainder of the half. Their persistence paid off in the 32nd minute when defender Tom Rothe headed home from inside the box following a scramble in Malta’s defense, giving Antonio Di Salvo’s team a 2–1 cushion going into the break.
Tresoldi Completes the Job
Germany asserted complete control right after the restart. Just two minutes into the second half (47′), Tresoldi grabbed his second goal of the match, heading home from close range off a corner delivery from Laurin Ulrich to make it 3–1.
In the 69th minute, Tresoldi completed his hat-trick in spectacular fashion, curling a right-footed free-kick from the edge of the penalty area straight into the top left corner. Paris Brunner and the German attack continued to press for a fifth, but Malta goalkeeper Liam Frendo made several key saves to keep the scoreline at 4–1 until the final whistle.
What It Means
With this victory, Germany U21 maintain their flawless run at the top of Group F, while Malta U21 remain at the bottom of the group standings. Malta complete their qualifying campaign on October 6 away to Latvia, while Germany face Georgia in their final group fixture.
