World champions Germany got their FIFA Confederations Cup Russia 2017 campaign off to a solid start with a 3-2 win over Australia at the Fisht Stadium in Sochi in front of 28,605 fans.
With half a dozen key players rested this summer ahead of next year’s World Cup title defence in Russia, Germany coach Joachim Loew brought a young team to Russia.
The Socceroos were 3-1 down when Tomi Juric’s goal was allowed to stand despite a suspected handball after a review by the video assistant referee.
Lars Stindl had put Germany ahead before Celtic’s Tom Rogic equalised.
Julian Draxler’s penalty made it 2-1 after Leon Goretzka was fouled before Goretzka got the third.
Germany were denied a fourth goal in Russia when Timo Werner hit the post.
Joachim Low has named seven uncapped players in his Confederations Cup squad after resting experienced keeper Manuel Neuer, Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, defender Mats Hummels and forward Thomas Muller.
Germany’s next Group B game is against Chile, who beat Cameroon 2-0 on Sunday, on Thursday (19:00 BST) in Kazan.
Australia face Cameroon on Thursday (16:00 BST) in St Petersburg.
Meanwhile, organisers of the competition have blocked a Russian fan group leader from attending matches at the tournament after they cancelled his “fan-ID.”
Alexander Shprygin, who was deported from last year’s European Championships in France for his involvement in violent scenes which marred the event, claimed to Reuters that no-one had given him a reason for the decision.
The fan-ID is a requirement for all fans to watch games at the competition, used as a warm-up for next year’s World Cup in Russia.
It is designed to ensure those associated with hooliganism and fan violence at football matches are unable to gain access to stadiums.
Shprygin, who was depicted in a BBC documentary which detailed the scenes of supporter unrest at Euro 2016, also claimed many others had had their fan-ID revoked.
He missed the opening match of the tournament in Saint Petersburg on Saturday (June 17), where the host nation beat New Zealand 2-0.
“No-one explained the reasons for this,” Shprygin told Reuters.
“They gave me a fan-ID and then two hours [before the match] they cancelled it, apparently on purpose so I don’t have the time to complain.”