Germany’s U21s record a must-win against Estonia. Youssoufa Moukoko got on the scoresheet, as did a Gladbach player who scored twice.

With a 4:1 victory against Estonia, the German U21 national team recorded its third win in a row. The DFB team thus kept their clean sheet and remain in touch with Poland, who are top of the table with one more game to play and will visit Essen on Hafenstrasse next Tuesday (6 p.m.).

In the first home win in the current European Championship qualifiers in Paderborn, Borussia Dortmund attacker Youssoufa Moukoko was among those to score for coach Antonio Di Salvo’s team in front of a crowd of 5,493.

The German team started under pressure and had good opportunities early on. However, Merlin Röhl (10th) and Moukoko’s first attempt (13th) were saved by the aluminum for the underdogs from the Baltic States, while Moukoko (24th/33rd) and former Dortmund player Ansgar Knauff (28th) were denied by the strong Estonian goalkeeper.

Just five minutes before the half-time whistle, even the goalkeeper had no chance: Maximilian Beier picked up pace in the center and hit the inside of the post with his long-range shot – 1:0 for Germany through the TSG Hoffenheim attacker. That’s how it went into the dressing rooms.

The DFB team came out better in the second half, and this time were rewarded for their efforts more quickly: BVB talent Moukoko, who had acted too stubbornly time and time again, finally scored with a firm shot to the near corner (53′).

But that was not the end of the story, as the Estonians refused to give up. And they scored out of nowhere. After a mistake in the build-up, the visitors switched gears and Danil Kuraksin closed in on Noah Atubolu, giving the Freiburg goalkeeper no chance (64′).

However, the Estonians were unable to create any more dangerous chances and instead scored again at the other end: Gladbach’s Rocco Reitz scored with a deflected shot and a clearance in the closing stages (88./90.+4) to make the final score 4:1. The fourth win in four games for the DFB squad, who can draw level with the Poles in Essen and still have the catch-up game against Israel up their sleeve.