Northern Ireland 0-2 Germany
Germany got its Euro 2020 campaign back on track with a deserved and hard fought victory in Northern Ireland.
The hosts started the game at the top of Group C and three precious points ahead of Joachim Low’s Germany, and it will hurt that Germany has now gone top of the group. And when the other Euro 2020 results came in, the Netherlands’ 0-4 win in Estonia has put more pressure on Northern Ireland.
Michal O’Neill’s side fought hard and were in the game until the last seconds when Germany grabbed a second goal.
Highlights of the game
The first big chance of the game came to Conor Washington, who was rested in last week’s friendly with Luxembourg. Corry Evans pressed well and the ball broke for Washington, clean through on goal but Manuel Neuer made himself big to save.
Northern Ireland could sense Germany’s inexperienced back four might be nervous on the back of a humiliation in Hamburg at the hands of the Netherlands when they conceded four second half goals; and the hosts continued to play at a high tempo.
Germany gradually got into the game, passing the ball around with more composure.
Manchester City midfield star Ilkay Gundogan pulled out of the match due to illness and that left space for Joshua Kimmich to start in midfield alongside Toni Kroos. And the two combined well to put in Julian Brandt whose shot hit Jonny Evans on the hand but, as everyone in Windsor Park held their breath the referee waved away Germany’s penalty appeals.
Northern Ireland can think themselves lucky with that one!
Low’s team began to click through the gears, taking control of the ball but the Windsor Park crowd stayed behind their team, cheering every tackle, and when the hosts broke and Stuart Dallas put in a dangerous ball Washington was inches away from getting a vital touch.
At the other end of the pitch, whatever Germany threw into the penalty area Ireland dealt with pretty well. Serge Gnabry had a run at the home defence and when the ball fell to Kroos he screwed his shot wide of Bailey Peacock Farrell’s right hand post.
And then, on the stroke of half time there was an almighty scramble in the Germany area when Dallas put in another great ball but Washington couldn’t get his shot away. There was still time for Germany’s best effort of the half when Timo Werner met a cross but Peacock-Farrell made his save from close range to keep Northern Ireland level at the break.
The young Burnley keeper made another fine save at the start of the second half to deny Lukas Klostermann, but there was nothing he could do a minute later, when Klostermann put in a deep cross and Marcel Halstenberg connected with a blistering volley which flew into the top corner. What a way to get your first international goal, and what an important goal it was.
Germany were all over the Irish now and Gnabry linked up with Brandt before poking his shot wide, then Peacock-Farrell made another strong save to deny Werner. And then he was called on again to turn a Kroos free-kick aside.
Still in the game the hosts thought they’d won a penalty when Paddy McNair went down under a tackle from Kroos. The German midfield man did make contact but the referee was unimpressed and the crowd howled. And they were on their feet again a minute later when Gavin White showed a great turn of pace down the right flank before pulling back the perfect ball for Dallas but his shot flew agonisingly wide.
Germany substitute Kai Havertz had a golden opportunity to make in 0-2 when he met a cross from Kimmich but his header was inches wide.
Gnabry sealed the win in the dying seconds, beating the offside trap and sliding the ball past Peacock-Farrell.
Key statistics
The half time stats showed Germany’s control of the ball with 72 per cent possession but crucially each team had one shot on target, and no goals. But Low’s team really stepped it up in the second half with six more shots on target.
Northern Ireland had five wins on the bounce in the run up to this game but they hadn’t faced a side the calibre of Germany in that winning run.
And they have now lost eight on the trot to the Germans.
It was a big night for Steven Davis, who captained Northern Ireland tonight in his 113th international to become the most capped outfield player for his country, and only the great goalkeeper Pat Jennings has more.
What’s next?
Keep a close eye on the Euro 2020 betting odds here at SBOBET because the next round of games is not far away. In October Germany has a home friendly with Argentina before travelling to Estonia to continue its Group C campaign.
Northern Ireland has another huge test with a visit to the Netherlands; the Oranje is in scintillating form.
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