Florian Wirtz scored the fastest goal in national team history as reborn Germany stunned hosts France 2-0 on Saturday to boost morale for the home European Championships in summer.
Youngster Wirtz from Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen netted his first Germany goal right off the kick-off seven seconds into the game, without a French player touching the ball.
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz doubled the lead three minutes into the second half as Germany showed huge improvement in their first match of the year, which they however have to confirm on Tuesday against the Netherlands in Frankfurt.
Returning Toni Kroos pulled the strings in midfield in Germany's first clean sheet in 12 months year, after coach Julian Nagelsmann had made sweeping squad changes and defined clear roles after just three victories from their 11 matches last year which ended with defeats against Turkey and Austria.
World Cup runners-up Les Bleus also continue their Euro preparations on Tuesday against Chile, aiming to return to winning ways after a modest showing on the night by their standard for which they were jeered by the disappointed Lyon crowd.
"We can be very satisfied. We made a good and important step," Kroos told broadcasters ZDF. "There were quite a few changes. We had a good training week and implemented it well."
Nagelsmann named Kroos' comeback "unbelievable" and added: "Compliments to the whole team. It was a good and important start. I am very satisfied, also with the way everyone gave their all.
"This game gives us a push and we are on a good path."
France Didier Deschamps made several changes from the teams' last encounter in autumn which Germany won 2-1 under then interim coach Rudi Völler, with teenager Warren Zaire-Emery winning his second cap while Paris Saint-Germain team-mate superstar Kylian Mbappe captained Les Bleus as usual.
Nagelsmann fielded Barcelona's Marc-André ter Stegen in goal for the injured Manuel Neuer, VfB Stuttgart's Maximilian Mittelstädt earned his maiden cap as left back, and Leverkusen's Robert Andrich was in midfield alongside the Real Madrid veteran Kroos who returned from three years of international retirement.
The 2014 World Cup winner Kroos made his presence felt within seconds when he took up the kick-off from Kai Havertz, played a long ball to Wirtz who fired home after seve seconds in off the crossbar, with goalkeeper Brice Samba stranded.
"It was indeed planned," Kroos and Nagelsmann said, praising the coaching staff.
The stunning goal gave Germany confidence as they dominated the early stages, and they were also alert in defence.
France eventually grew into the game, and Marcus Thuram aimed high in the 20th, Mbappe fired wide left two minutes later, before ter Stegen saved well from Mbappe in the 25th and from Ousmane Dembele 10 minutes before half-time.
But Germany weathered the storm and were quick out of the blocks again after half-time, with Wirtz finding Jamal Musiala who rounded Samba on the left and squared for Havertz to fire home for 2-0.
The goal rattled the hosts who took 10 minutes to finally threaten again from Dembele's curling effort which went wide left.
Plenty of substitutions hampered the flow of play but Germany were closer to a third, with Samba diving to his left to deny Mittelstädt whose Stuttgart team-mate Deniz Undav then also earned his Germany debut for the final minutes and almost scored seconds later.
France only almost got on the scoreboard late when Mittelstädt sent the ball towards his own goal but Antonio Rüdiger cleared with the help of the crossbar.
"It was a lot of fun," Havertz said. "We controlled the match in the second half. It is very important that every players knows his role ahead of such a tournament."
