Christoph Baumgartner scored after six seconds to record the fastest-ever goal in international football as Austria beat Slovakia 2-0 in an international friendly in Bratislava.

The 24-year-old midfielder skipped past three challenges from the kick-off and fired a low shot past home goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

His effort was a second quicker than Lukas Podolski’s strike for Germany against Ecuador in 2013.

Andreas Weimann’s late goal confirmed victory for Ralf Rangnick’s side.

Baumgartner’s remarkable effort was almost equalled later on Saturday evening when Florian Wirtz put Germany ahead in France, with a 25-yard effort that appeared to deflect off Dayot Upamecano before clipping the underside of the crossbar on its way in.

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann was desperate for a good start to the year ahead of the tournament on home soil in June and that is exactly what he got.

Wirtz surprised the French with his long-range effort after what a well-practised move and pass from Toni Kroos, back from a three-year international retirement.

The goal was a few hundredths of a second faster than Podolski’s seventh-second goal.

The hosts gradually took control and Kylian Mbappe forced a fine save from Germany’s Marc Andre ter Stegen to protect their lead in the 26th minute.

“We had a very good start and the kick-off was planned exactly that way,” Germany’s Nagelsmann said.

“It was important to protect the lead and after the break we improved further and carved out more chances. I am very satisfied with the way we fought.

“It is what we wish, to give it all every time.”

“We got a confidence boost from this game. We are on a good path and played a very good game.”

France pushed for an equaliser with Ousmane Dembele and Adrien Rabiot but it was the Germans, under pressure to improve after only two wins in their last 10 matches before Saturday, who scored again.

They doubled their lead early in the second half with Wirtz picking out Jamal Musiala with a cross and he cut back for Kai Havertz to finish the move.

France ran out of ideas in the second half and had to wait until late in the game for substitute Olivier Giroud to miss two chances before Germany defender Antonio Ruediger hit his own post as he tried to clear a ball.

Austria, who host Turkey in Vienna on Tuesday, have now won four consecutive matches as they build for this summer’s Euros in Germany.

“We’ve done this variation before, sprinting away at full risk from the kickoff. Somehow the sequence of steps worked out so that I got the run,” Baumgartner said.

With inputs from Reuters