Christoph Baumgartner, Florian Wirtz score two of fastest international goals
Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner scored one of the fastest ever international goals inside six seconds and was then quickly followed by another lightning quick strike by Germany’s Florian Wirtz.
Baumgartner, 24, went into the record books during a friendly match against Slovakia.
The Leipzig attacker drove through the home defence from kick-off, going past three players, before unleashing a 25-metre shot past Martin Dubravka in goal.
“We’ve done this variation before, sprinting from kick-off at full risk. The sequence of steps somehow worked out so that I made the run,” Baumgartner told Austrian public broadcaster ORF after the game which his team won 2-0.
Austria just scored the fastest goal in international football history 🇦🇹
6 seconds ⏳ pic.twitter.com/jh019JqVBN
— Omar Hardan 🇵🇸 (@Hardaneez) March 23, 2024
“Of course it’s really cool, I’m very happy. The fact that I hit it like that… it’s of course sensational.”
He added: “I’m especially pleased that I was able to help the team. That’s the most important thing about the goal.”
Baumgartner’s goal bettered the previous record of seven seconds it took Lukas Podolski to score for Germany against Ecuador in 2013.
The Austrian FA described Baumgartner’s effort as the fastest goal in the history of international football.
“Of course we got off to a really good start, that goal by itself was probably worth the price of admission,” said Austria coach Ralf Rangnick.
“After that, we didn’t play a good first half. The second half was much better.”
Kolejny mecz, kolejna bramka w mniej niż 10 SEKUND 😲
Florian Wirtz z golem, Toni Kroos z asystą❗️ Niemcy na prowadzeniu 🔥
Polsat Sport Premium 1 📺 pic.twitter.com/fyDM7WkRQy
— Polsat Sport (@polsatsport) March 23, 2024
Meanwhile, later Saturday, Wirtz scored after seven seconds against France in a friendly in Lyon which Germany won 2-0.
The Leverkusen player beat ‘keeper Brice Samba with a superb shot under the crossbar.
“I don’t think anyone understood or realised what was happening. We were all quite surprised, but there was obviously a lot of joy,” Wirtz told German broadcaster ZDF after his first international goal.
“You can’t start a match any better.”
Wirtz added that his team’s lightning-fast start had been practised.
“But for it to work so well and lead to this chance to score, it’s great.”
The fastest goal scored in a World Cup was by Turkey’s Hakan Sukur against South Korea in 2002 after 11 seconds.
