Germany had not matched the results with three straight draws before the clash with Italy.
Italy lacked several of their key players: Leonardo Bonucci, Domenico Berardi and Ciro Immobile were some of them.
Then Germany would really tighten their muscles. It was a game-wise advantage throughout the match and it was difficult to understand that it was last year’s European Championship winner who was on the other side.
Germany ran through several times and had 1-0 already after ten minutes via midfield engine Joshua Kimmich. The psychologically important 2-0 just before the break was made by Ilkay Gündogan on penalty after Alessandro Bastoni clumsily tore down Jonas Hofmann.
Then the humiliation continued. Thomas Müller made it 3-0 on a return after a cracking defensive game. Timo Werner added 4-0 after the match’s delicacy. Thomas Müller passed Serge Gnabry with the outside of the foot before it was extended to Werner who made the four. It took only a minute before the same Werner made it 5-0.
Italy saw a reduction of about ten minutes left when 18-year-old batsman Wilfried Gnonto was first on a return from Manuel Neuer.
Another reduction came in the last minute of the match when the penalty scorer Bastoni nodded in a corner to 5-2.