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9.10.2020Bayer 04

World Cup qualifiers: Successful start for Alario and Palacios

Lucas Alario and Exequiel Palacios were able to celebrate a 1-0 win for Argentina against Ecuador on Thursday night in the opening World Cup qualifier in the South American group. Werkself skipper Charles Aránguiz suffered a 2-1 defeat with Chile away to Uruguay.
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Uruguay and Chile were involved in a hard-fought match in Montevideo with the hosts taking the lead through a penalty converted by Luis Suárez (39’). Shortly after the restart, Charles Aránguiz, who played the full 90 minutes, provided the assist for the equaliser for ‘La Roja’ – Alexis Sánchez made it 1-1 (54’). But it was Uruguay who ran out winners: Maximiliano Gómez netted the winner in added time for the final score of 2-1 (90+3’).

The World Cup qualifiers got off to a successful start for Lucas Alario and Exequiel Palacios. Superstar Lionel Messi scored the only goal of the game for the two-time World Cup winners in Buenos Aires from the penalty spot on 13 minutes. Alario was brought on in the 76th minute, Palacios did not feature.

Moussa Diaby was in the French squad for the 5-0 win in the Euro qualifier for the France U21 side against Liechtenstein but he spent the full 90 minutes on the bench.

Tah with Germany in Ukraine

Jonathan Tah will be looking to help Germany secure their first win in 2020 on Saturday 10 October (kick-off: 20.45 CEST/live on ARD). Germany are away to Ukraine in the Nations League. Coach Joachim Löw has made a number of changes to his squad compared with the friendly against Turkey (3:3). Nadiem Amiri, who made a brief appearance in last Wednesday’s game, is no longer in the squad and that is also the case with Benjamin Henrichs, Nico Schulz, Niklas Stark and Mahmoud Dahoud. Tah and the former Leverkusen players Bernd Leno, Kai Havertz and Julian Brandt are still in it.

Germany are currently third in their group after two draws against Spain (1-1) and Switzerland (1-1), a point behind second placed Ukraine and one point ahead of Switzerland who provide the opposition for the German team in Cologne next Tuesday.  

Lennart Grill and Florian Wirtz are in the Germany U21 squad for the Euro U21 qualifier in Moldova on Friday 9 October (kick-off: 18.15 CEST/live on ProSieben MAXX). The team led by coach Stefan Kuntz set off for Chisinau on Friday morning, a day later than planned. The reason: A player tested positive for coronavirus. All the players were then tested again on Thursday and were all negative with the exception of one player. The game will go ahead as planned following discussions with the relevant authorities and UEFA. Wirtz can hope to make his debut for the U21s.

players and remaining fixtures:

Jonathan Tah and Nadiem Amiri (Germany):
Saturday, 10 October (20.45 CEST/live on ARD): Ukraine v Germany (UEFA Nations League)
Tuesday, 13 October (20.45 CEST/live on ARD): Germany v Switzerland (UEFA Nations League)

Aleksandar Dragovic and Julian Baumgartlinger (Austria):
Sunday, 11 October (20.45 CEST/live on DAZN): Northern Ireland v Austria (UEFA Nations League)
Wednesday, 14 October (20.45 CEST/live on DAZN): Romania v Austria (UEFA Nations League)

Lukas Hradecky (Finland):
Sunday, 11 October (18.00 CEST/live on DAZN): Finland v Bulgaria (UEFA Nations League)
Wednesday, 14 October (18.00 CEST/live on DAZN): Finland v Ireland (UEFA Nations League)

Tin Jedvaj (Croatia):
Sunday, 11 October (18 .00 CEST/live on DAZN): Croatia v Sweden (UEFA Nations League)
Wednesday, 14 October (20.45 CEST/live on DAZN): Croatia v France (UEFA Nations League)

Lucas Alario and Exequiel Palacios (Argentina):
Tuesday, 13 October (22.00 CEST): Bolivia v Argentina (World Cup qualifier)

Charles Aránguiz (Chile):
Tuesday, 14 October (02.30 CEST): Chile v Colombia (World Cup qualifier)

Santiago Arias (Colombia):
Saturday, 10 October (01.30 CEST): Colombia v Venezuela (World Cup qualifier)
Tuesday, 14 October (02.30 CEST): Chile v Colombia (World Cup qualifier)

Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso):
Friday, 9 October: Burkina Faso v Republic of the Congo (Friendly)
Monday, 12 October: Burkina Faso v Madagascar (Friendly)

Lennart Grill and Florian Wirtz (Germany U21):
Friday, 9 October (18.15 CEST/live on ProSieben MAXX): Moldova U21 v Germany U21 (Euro U21 qualifier)
Tuesday, 13 October (18.15 CEST/live on ProSieben MAXX): Germany U21 v Bosnia-Herzegovina U21 (Euro U21 qualifier)

Moussa Diaby (France U21):
Monday, 12 October (21.00 CEST): France U21 v Slovakia U21 (Euro U21 qualifier)

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