Germany under-19s turned on the style in their final 2016 UEFA European under-19 Championship group game with neighbours, Austria.
Goals from Phil Neumann, Cedric Teuchert and Gökhan Gül sealed a 3-0 win and a place in the FIFA under-20 World Cup play-off. Jannes Horn grabbed all three assists.
Austria, however, finished bottom of the group despite putting in good performances against both Italy and Portugal.
Changes for both sides
Rupert Marko was forced into one change from their draw with Italy, but the Austria head coach opted to make a further two. The suspended Stefan Petic was replaced by Manuel Maranda, while Sandi Lovric and Albin Gashi were dropped; Wilhelm Vorsager and Simon Pirkl were the respective replacements.
As for Guido Streichsbier, it was win or bust and the alterations made reflected that. Dominik Reimann was injured and replaced by Florian Müller, while Maximilian Mittelstädt, Suat Serdar, Max Besuschkow and Janni-Luca Serra had to settle for the bench. That gave Jannes Horn, Amara Conde, Fabian Reese and Cedric Teuchert a starting berth.
Dull first half
The early signs for Germany were good. They began by setting the tempo and, hero from last time, Philipp Ochs, teed up Teuchert for an early drive that whipped off target. The Austrians responded with a chance of their own for Philipp Posch, as he rose highest to meet a Philipp Malicsek corner. Unfortunately, his free header did not test Müller.
Ochs continued to get in between the opposition's midfield and defence, this time testing Paul Gartler with a stinging, low drive. That was fumbled by the 'keeper, but he did well to recover the loose ball ahead of the incoming Teuchert. At the other end, Müller's toughest task was collecting any through balls that had too much pace to find feet.
The final opportunity in a first half that lacked quality saw Benjamin Henrichs' effort fly narrowly past the post, with Teuchert just failing to get what would have been a crucial touch. Austria remained inside their shell for the remainder of the opening period, Anatolii Zhabchenko signaling for half-time dead on 45 minutes.
Germany double up at the start of the second half
Despite an early effort from Maximilian Wöber glancing just wide of the far post from another Malicsek corner, Germany would bite back and in some style.
Horn was key to what was about to follow, with his free-kick from the left providing the perfect opportunity for Neumann to charge in at the back post and slide home. Just 132 seconds later and he was bursting down the same flank again, this time from open play. He crossed for Teuchert to rise, unmarked, and bullet a header past Gartler.
Gül grabs a birthday goal
Austria tried to respond but that only opened up further space for the hosts, who were now able to sit back and pick their moment to go forward as and when they wanted. Conde's superb game was also topped off with a curling free-kick that brought a fine save from Gartler, and his ball back in from the resulting corner almost found the net, too.
Serra also had several late chances, but a combination of poor finishing and good defending meant that he was unable to add a crowning third. That would come, however, as Horn's prowess from set-pieces shone through once more. His ball in found Gül at the back post to head home a birthday goal and seal Germany's spot in third.