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18.10.2023Bayer 04

International update: Xhaka equals Swiss record – Werkself trio in action with Germany

The last games in the current international break have been played with mixed results. While Granit Xhaka can look back at a very special record, Amine Adli scored his first goal for Morocco and Adam Hlozek qualified for Euro 2024 with Czechia, the other Werkself players with their national teams only managed a draw at best.
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Germany drew 2-2 with Mexico last night in their second friendly in the current international break. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann again started Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz. The latter set up Niklas Füllkrug to level at 2-2 on 51 minutes. Jonas Hofmann came on as a substitute on 65 minutes with Robert Andrich remaining on the bench for the second game.

118 international caps for Xhaka – czechia win euro qualifier

A great honour for Granit Xhaka: In an exciting 3-3 draw for Switzerland against Belarus, the midfielder made his 118th international appearance to draw level with the previous recordholder Heinz Hermann. The 31-year-old national team captain played the full 90 minutes in the Euro qualifier.

Other Werkself players were also involved in Euro qualifiers. Czechia beat the Faroe Islands 1-0. Adam Hlozek started and played the whole game with teammate Matej Kovar remaining on the bench. Czechia are now second in Group E with 11 points. The Netherlands also secured a win. Oranje captain Virgil van Dijk scored the only goal of the game against Greece from the penalty spot in added time and Jeremie Frimpong did not come on.

Josip Stanisic was on the losing side with Croatia. They lost 2-1 to Wales with Stanisic coming on in the second half. Lukas Hradecky and Finland suffered the same fate with the Scandinavian side losing 2-1 against Kazakhstan. That means Finland can no longer qualify for Euro 2024.

World Cup: draw for Hincapie and Ecuador

Following Ecuador's 2-1 win against Bolivia last week, the South American team drew 0-0 with Colombia in the second World Cup qualifier in the current international break. Piero Hincapie played the full 90 minutes. Ecuador are now sixth on four points with the unbeaten World Cup winners Argentina topping the group after a fourth victory in the qualifiers. The Albiceleste beat Peru 2-0 but Exequiel Palacios did not feature in the match.

Adli nets first goal for morocco

Morocco played their final qualifier against Liberia having already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations. They secured a convincing 3-0 win. Amine Adli came off the bench on 65 minutes and scored the third goal just before the end of the game (89'). It was the winger's first strike for Morocco. Morocco are top of their group at the end of the qualifiers.

Two other Werkself players were involved in friendlies. Victor Boniface was a substitute on 75 minutes in the 3-2 win for Nigeria against Mozambique. Ivory Coast drew 1-1 with South Africa but Odilon Kossounou did not play in the game. Both Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast are qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations finals next year and they will face each other in Group A.

 

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