Follow all the action as World Cup winners Germany take on CONCACAF champions Mexico in their Confederations Cup semifinal in Sochi. A place against Chile in Sunday’s St. Petersburg final awaits the winners.
29 June 2017
All over in Sochi. That was a crazy finale to a game which Germany looked to be in complete control of. Mexico had plenty of the ball, but were ultimately outdone but the Germans' lightning-fast counter-attacking. Joachim Low's team will be full of confidence going into the final against Chile at St. Petersburg Stadium on Sunday. Mexico will be deflated, but will have to pick themselves up for their third place playoff against Portugal - a repeat of their opening game of the tournament.
Full-time: Germany 4-1 Mexico. It will be the World Cup winners up against the Copa American champions for the Confederations Cup title in St. Petersburg on Sunday.
(90 +1) Germany restore their three goal cushion when substitute Younes collects the ball from Can on the left of the box and slips the ball past Ochoa. Just prior to that Fabian had another good chance for Mexico.
GOAL! Germany 4-1 Mexico
(89 mins) Fabian fires in a bullet of a strike after a free-kick is played off to him from about 25 yards out! Game on?
GOAL! Germany 3-1 Mexico
(84 mins) It's looks as if Mexico almost do register after Rafa Marquez heads goalwards from a corner, and ter Stegen does well to save sharply. The Barcelona keeper has put in an assured performance tonight.
There's a clash of heads between Ruediger and Fabian and play is stopped, but both men are back on their feet. Mexico with less than 10 minutes to at least salvage some pride.
(82 mins) Changes for Germany - Julian Brandt replaces Lars Stindl, skipper Julian Draxler is off, Amin Younes is on.
Mexico won't be hitting the beach after tonight's game - they will go on to face Portugal in Moscow in the third place playoff on Sunday. They'd probably much rather stay in Sochi and soak up some Black Sea sun after tonight's mauling.
(75 mins) Chance! Mexico hit the bar through Jimenez, who directs a header against the woodwork from a Layun cross. The closest the Mexicans have come so far.
Just a reminder that if (or rather when) Germany reach Sunday's final against Chile in St. Petersburg, it will be the second time the two teams have met at Russia 2017. They drew 1-1 in Kazan in the group stage, a game in which Chile dominated in the first half. Germany have gone from strength to strength since then.
(72 mins) Some commotion as Ruediger goes down after being pushed in the stomach by Hernandez. The German defender is about a foot taller than the Mexico striker and Hernandez barely touched him. What was all that about?
(70 mins) Chance! Layun collects the ball on the right and hits a powerful shot, but ter Stegen is equal to it and pushes it away. If Mexico are going to get back into this game (which seems highly unlikely), now would be a good time to start.
(67 mins) Change for Mexico: the second dos Santos brother, Jonathan, comes off for veteran Rafa Marquez, who adds to his haul of 140 international caps. Goalscorer Goretzka comes off for Germany, Liverpool midfielder Emre Can is on for the last 23 minutes or so.
(66 mins) Fabian again with a chance for Mexico, but his shot sails well wide.
(65 mins) Draxler is incandescent as he goes down on the edge of the Mexican box. He clearly feels he's been fouled and slams his hand on the ground in rage when the referee waves play on. Germany hungry for more here.
(64 mins) Decent chance for Mexico as Fabian is straight into the action, but he fires into the side netting when present with a chance on the left of the box.
(62 mins) Change for Mexico - Giovani dos Santos comes off, Marco Fabian comes on. Dos Santos had a few good moments in the first half, but his influence faded.
(60 mins) This is turning into a nightmare for Mexico. They can't cope with the pace of Germany's young attacking players. Germany are showing no sign of taking their foot of the pedal and straight away go in search of a fourth. Mexico looking weary.
(59 mins) Timo Werner seals the deal for Germany. Lovely pass from Draxler sets free Jonas Hector on the left, he squares for Werner and it's a tap-in for the RB Leipzig striker. All too easy for Germany.
Goal! Germany 3-0 Mexico
Raul Jimenez picked up a yellow for his part in that German free-kick. The first caution of the game.
(56 mins) Germany win a free-kick centrally, Draxler skims it low but Ochoa gathers the ball safely.
That last German attack summed up the game so far - Mexico playing the ball around aimlessly for the most part, Germany going straight for the jugular once they win possession.
(53 mins) Chance! Werner inches from making it 3-0 as he races through but fires it across goal, just passing the far post. He feels he was pushed as he lined up his shot, but referee Nestor Pitana didn't bother troubling the VAR.
(51 mins) Chance! Mexico break and it's played to Raul Jimenez on the right of the box, but he shoots straight at ter Stegen. The German keeper has been busy tonight without being truly tested.
(48 mins) Timo Werner chases down a long ball and almost causes problems for Mexico keeper Ochoa, but the danger passes.
We are back underway in Sochi. A Change for Mexico sees 21-year-old forward Hirving Lozano - who scored against Russia - replace Javier Aquino.
With those two goals Leon Goretzka took his tournament tally to three, after his strike in the opening game win against Australia. The 22-year-old Schalke 04 player is making a big impression so far this tournament, and is forcing himself into Joachim Low's plans ahead of next year's World Cup.
Mexico ended the first half with 62% possession and had 10 attempts on goal to Germany's five; Mexico hit the target four times, Germany hit the target three times - Goretzka scoring two of those. That's the stat that counts at the moment.
Half-time: Germany 2-0 Mexico. A typical German performance so far - efficient in defense, ruthless in attack.
(45 mins) Mexico still being patient with their build-up play, but possession football counts for nothing if there's no end product. Herrera draws a foul from Draxler about 30 yards out, the delivery comes in but again it's dealt with easily. Mexico losing the aerial battles so far.
(41 mins) Mexico win yet another corner - again it's headed clear. How they could do with a goal before half-time.
(39 mins) Mexico win a free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box when Rudy brings down Giovani dos Santos. Hector Herrera lines it up and hits a dipping strike, but ter Stegen tips it over. It looks like it was going over anyway, but the Barcelona stopper made sure. Germany clear the corner.
(35 mins) Chance! Hernandez gets played in by Giovani dos Santos and collects the ball inside the box, but he lifts the ball over the onrushing ter Stegen and it goes over the bar. That was a big chance for Mexico to get themselves back in the game.
(33 mins) Two saves in quick succession from ter Stegen - one from each dos Santos brother. First Giovani shoots after being played in just inside the box, and the ball then comes in for Jonathan to head towards goal, but again the German keeper saves.
(32 mins) Giovani dos Santos nips in to pinch the ball from Draxler on the edge of the German box. He gets a shot away but it doesn't trouble ter Stegen in the German goal.
Mexican fans will need to push their team back into the game...
(26 mins) The dos Santos brothers almost link up as Jonathan tries to get on the end of a through ball from Giovani, but can't quite reach it.
(23 mins) The atmosphere is all a bit flat in Sochi. Those two early goals have dampened Mexican fans' spirits, no doubt. Layun swings the ball in from the right, but Henrichs shepherds it out for a corner - which comes to nothing.
Germany looking dangerous every time they break. Mexico attempting to build attacks but can't make the final pass count when they reach the final third.
(18 mins) Germany win a corner on the right, Draxler swings it in but it's cleared. Again the ref stops play for a foul, this time by Ruediger. All a bit scrappy at the moment.
(16 mins) Mexico try to press through Aquino on the left but the German defense break up the attack. Germany look content to let Mexico play keep-ball in their own half and then step in once they approach the final third.
(11 mins) Mexico attempt to get back into the game as Aquino crosses, but no one is there to meet it and it is cleared for a corner. The ball comes in but Germany clear their lines.
It's all going horribly wrong for Mexico as their defense is caught out for the second time in two minutes for Goretzka to score his second of the game.
(8 mins) GOAL! Germany 2-0 Mexico
Leon Goretzka opens the scoring with the first shot on goal. He sweeps in a ball from the right that beats Mexico keeper Ochoa.
Mexico have come from behind in every game at Russia 2017 so far – they’ll have to do so again here.
(6 mins) Goal! Germany 1-0 Mexico
A word on the formations – Mexico are lining up with Osorio’s preferred 4-3-3. Aquino, Jimenez and Hernandez are up top. Germany are also pushing three up front, with Stindl and Werner leading the line and Draxler tucked in behind. It should bode well for an open game.
Kick-off: We are underway in Sochi – who will book their place in Sunday’s final against Chile?
Record at Russia 2017
Both sides are unbeaten at the tournament so far.
Germany head into the semifinals as winners of Group B, having defeated Australia and Cameroon, 3-2 and 3-1 respectively, and drawing 1-1 against Chile.
Mexico also finished the group stage on seven points, but ended behind Portugal on goal difference. El Tri drew 2-2 with the Portuguese in their opening game, before beating New Zealand and Russia, winning 2-1 on both occasions.
Head to head favors Germany
Mexico have only ever beaten Germany once in 10 previous meetings, their solitary win coming back in 1985. Coincidentally, the pair’s last clash was 12 years ago to the day in the third-place playoff at the 2005 Confederations Cup in Germany. The hosts won that day, prevailing 4-3 thanks to Michael Ballack’s extra-time free-kick.
Mexico are the only nation at Russia 2017 who are former winners of the Tournament of Champions though, having claimed victory on home soil in 1999, when they beat Brazil 4-3 in a classic final.
Sochi
Germany are playing for the third time at Sochi’s Fisht Stadium. They have won both their games there so far: 3-2 against Australia and 3-1 against Cameroon.
Mexico also played there during the group stage, beating New Zealand 1-0.
RT Sport’s Danny Armstrong in the stadium for tonight’s game.
Team news
Germany boss Joachim Low makes four changes to the team that beat Cameroon in the last group game. Benjamin Henrichs, Jonas Hector, and Leon Goretzka come in, as does Lars Stindl – who has two goals at the tournament so far.
Interestingly, Henrichs, 20, will be up against Bayer Leverkusen teammate Javier Hernandez – Mexico’s top scorer.
For Mexico, Juan Carlos Osorio makes enforced changes as defender Diego Reyes is injured and midfielder Andres Guardado is suspended. Giovani dos Santos comes into midfield to partner brother Jonathan, while Oswaldo Alanis steps into defense. Carlos Vela and Hirving Lozano also make way, with Raul Jimenez and Javier Aquino coming in.