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[11/11/2020 | 21:01 | Red Bull Arena,| International Friendly: Germany 1 vs 1 Czech Republic]

[46']

The second half began with Germany playing with renewed intensity, reasserting their dominance. Gündogan and Neuhaus pressed higher, forcing the Czech midfield to retreat to maintain their shape. Die Manshaft, as they are called, did not waste this moment of dominance, launching a few attacks forward.

Shots flew from long range, not troubling Pavlenka much in between the sticks. However, in the forty-eighth minute, Germany created a golden opportunity when Hofmann played a clever one-two with Brandt, sneaking by two defenders before threading a pass through to Waldschmidt. The Freiburg striker was through on goal, with Brabec on his shoulder, trying his best to interfere.

He managed to nudge the marker away, creating some separation, but Pavlenka rushed out bravely, spreading himself wide and blocking the shot with his body. The rebound spun loose, but Jemelka was there to clear it before Brandt could pounce. "Another chance for Germany!" Rae exclaimed. "Pavlenka with a crucial save! The Czechs are under serious pressure if this situation continues."

[52']

Germany continued to press, their dominance becoming evident by the second as their opponents entrenched themselves deeper in their own third. The midfielders moved the ball left and right, initiating attacks from both flanks, not giving their opponents a chance to settle. Löw on the touchline, could be seen gesturing frantically, urging his team to maintain the tempo.

In the fifty-second minute, Max received the ball on the left wing and immediately drove at Mateju. The Czech right-back was already tiring from repeatedly tracking back, and Max sniffed it out. He feinted a breakthrough down the flank, but with a quick drop of the shoulder, he cut inside onto his right foot, creating separation.

His cross was whipped in with pace, curling toward the penalty spot where Waldschmidt had made a run beyond his man's shoulder. The striker rose above Brabec, getting solid contact with his header, but he couldn't bring it down, sending it flying over the bar.

"So close, Waldschmidt almost with a brace!" Rae roared. "The Freiburg striker is on top form tonight!"

"You can tell, he came to make a statement," Stewart Robson added from the commentary booth. "Germany is creating chances at will, but they can't find a way past Pavlenka."

[58']

The Czech Republic, desperate to relieve the pressure, tried to launch a counter-attack. Kopic collected the ball deep in his own half after Trapp's goal kick was headed clear by Jemelka. The winger drove forward at pace, but Baku was tracking him diligently.

As Kopic approached the halfway line, he attempted a through ball to Krmencík, who had dropped deep looking for possession. But Tah read it perfectly, stepping across to intercept with his long stride. The Leverkusen defender immediately turned and played it forward to Gündogan.

"Good reading from Tah," Rae observed. "He's been solid all evening alongside Rüdiger."

Germany recycled possession again, this time working it patiently through the thirds. Neuhaus dropped deep to collect from Rüdiger, then played it wide to Hofmann on the right. The Gladbach midfielder took one touch before cutting inside, drawing two Czech defenders toward him.

With space opening up on the left, he played a diagonal ball across the pitch to Max, who had acres of room. The Stuttgart left-back controlled it and immediately looked up, spotting Brandt making a run toward the edge of the box. Looking up, he whipped in a curving cross into the box before Antonín Barák, the opposing defensive midfielder, could interfere.

The ball floated perfectly through the air, curling away from Pavlenka and toward the late-arriving Brandt. The Dortmund playmaker met it, twisting his body, attempting to side-foot the incoming ball in a first-time strike. The strike was far from clean, but it had a lot of power, sending the ball rifling goalward, flying past Filip Novak toward the bottom corner.

Pavlenka barely managed to move his feet, unable to react to the shot, but lady luck still favoured him. (KANG) The loud clang of the ball smacking against the bottom of the post resounded through the ground before it rebounded into the air. The Czechian keeper reacted instinctively, diving low to smother the rebounding ball.

"Pavlenka again!" Derek Rae shouted over the Leipzig hum. "This time, he got help from the post, but he won't be complaining as he denied Germany once again!"

[61']

On the touchline, Joachim Löw turned toward his bench, murmured a few words to Marcus Sorg, and nodded. The assistant coach gave the signal. Moments later, the fourth official raised his board:

---

Numbers:

22 - Rex - - 20 Jonas Hofmann (CAM)

15 - Henrichs - - 13 Ridle Baku(RM)

23 - Gosens - - 19 Philipp Max (LM)

---

"And here we go!" Derek Rae's voice sharpened with excitement. "A moment that many in the country have been waiting for. Seventeen-year-old phenom Rakim Rex, who has taken one of the more unconventional routes to professional football, makes his senior debut for Germany!"

The camera zoomed in on the young winger standing at the side of the pitch waiting for his turn, dressed in the iconic black, white and gold kit. The kit stuck to his athletic undershirt, hugging his body like a second skin, keeping the cold air out. He wore a hairband, setting his growing afro backwards, slightly fluttering in the wind.

His warm breath was visible in the cold air as he listened to the final instruction from Löw. "Just enjoy the moment," the coach told him before pushing him onto the field.

Rakim nodded, taking his position high in the centre of the field, joining Brand as the second attacking midfielder. He had been given only one task: to use his creativity to unlock the Czech defence and get his teammates involved. The substitution reenergised the German attack as Gosens and Henrichs dropped into the wing-back roles.

[63']

The match resumed with Germany instantly feeding off the injection of new energy. Rakim's very first touch came fortly as Gündogan slipped him a firm pass through midfield traffic; Rakim took it on the half-turn, cushioning the ball with his instep. His left foot flashed over the ball, causing Holes to move, but in the next moment, his right foot knocked the ball onto his left, sending it bouncing past the midfielder.

He exploded past the man, fighting past the arm that tried to grasp a hold of him. He nudged the ball through the lunging legs of Barák into the feet of Brandt, who carried it in stride. He slipped it wide to Henrichs on the right with a nifty pass, who hit it first time low across the box.

The ball dangerously fizzed through the six-yard area. Waldschmidt lunged in at the near post but couldn't quite connect; the ball skipped across the wet turf and out for a goal kick.

"Confident start from the youngster," Derek Rae observed. "The Czech side will want to stop him quickly before he gets a chance to get going."

[68']

Germany had fully taken control of the game now, with Rakim's introduction shifting the tempo dramatically. Every time he touched the ball, there was a spark, a slight intake of breath from the scattered fans in the stands, flashes from the cameras lining the touchline. The ball naturally started to gravitate toward him as he connected with the teammates around him.

Worse yet, the defenders could not find an answer for him, as when the man marked him, he stuck to one-touch passes. Giving him space wasn't an option either, as he seemed to punish them every time they left him enough breathing room. In the 73rd minute, Rakim received the ball just inside the Czech half from Gündogan, his back to goal and Barák tight on his shoulder.

With a deft flick of his heel, he rolled the ball around the pressing midfielder and spun the other way, breaking into space. The crowd subconciosly rose in anticipation as he began picking up speed through the middle. Breaking into the final third, everyone assumed he would dribble closer, but he suddenly raised his head and fired from long range with his right foot.

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To Be Continued...