Bundesliga
Germany bounce back with Northern Ireland win
Stunned by Thursday's reverse in Slovakia, Germany knew no more slip-ups could be afforded in Group A, and Julian Nagelsmann's side were able to overcome a fright against Northern Ireland, before winning in style in Cologne.
Germany 3-1 Northern Ireland
Goals: 1-0 Gnabry 7’ (assist: Woltemade), 1-1 Price 34’ (assist: Devenny), 2-1 Amiri 69’ (assist: Raum), 3-1 Wirtz 72’
Showing five changes to his starting XI compared to the side that began last Thursday’s 2-0 reverse in Bratislava, Nagelsmann enjoyed the desired response in the opening stages at the RheinEnergieStadion on Sunday.
The last time these teams met, Germany ran out 6-1 winners in Frankfurt, with Serge Gnabry netting a hat-trick. The Bayern Munich man was at it again here, sending a Nick Woltemade cut-back into the corner for the opening goal.
While Gnabry continued to shine as the half progressed, his teammates began to show signs of a side who were winless in their last four games.
The visitors – previously 3-1 winners against Luxembourg - took advantage, and were level in the 34th minute when Isaac Price met Justin Devenny’s corner kick with a volley at the far post.
Their standing in Group A looking precarious as the second half got underway, the four-time World champions raised their game.
VfB Stuttgart’s Jamie Leweling sent a powerful effort narrowly off target before visiting goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell saved from David Raum and Pascal Groß in quick succession.
The home fans sensed their team's moment was coming, and it arrived when substitute Nadiem Amiri slid into an empty net for his first international goal in what was his ninth senior appearance.
The relief among the majority inside the ground was then palpable as Florian Wirtz added another with an eye-catching free kick to get Germany up and running in Group A.
Nagelsmann’s side next host Luxembourg in Sinsheim on 10 October, before travelling to face Northern Ireland in Belfast three days later.
- With 23 international goals, Gnabry is the most prolific player currently in the Germany squad.
- Germany posted their first win in five matches.
- While Germany lost their first away qualifier against Slovakia, they have still succumbed just three times in 53 equivalent home matches.
- Germany have never failed to qualify for a World Cup. They did not enter the inaugural 1930 edition, while they were banned from entering in 1950.
Teams
Germany: Baumann - Anton, Rüdiger (Tah 82'), Koch, Raum - Kimmich (c), Groß (Goretzka 66') - Gnabry (Beier 61'), Wirtz, Leweling - Woltemade (Amiri 61')
Unused subs: Nübel, Dahmen (GK), Collins, Adeyemi, Stiller, Mittelstädt, Nebel, Andrich
Out: Füllkrug (muscular), Havertz (knee), Kleindienst (knee), Musiala (leg), Schlotterbeck (knee), Ter Stegen (back)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell - Hume (c), McNair, Toal (McConville 88') - Bradley, Galbraith (Marshall 76'), Charles, McCann (Saville 76'), Devenny - Price (McDonnell 88'), Reid (Charles 70')
Unused subs: Southwood, McMullan, Donley, Johnson, Devlin, Hale, Taylor
Out: -
Coach: Michael O'Neill
As it happened ...
3 - 1(1 - 1)
Germany
FINAL
N. Ireland
90' +4
vs
Narrowly wide
Leweling cuts in off the right flank, pulls out a couple of stepovers, and lets fly with his left foot. It's a powerful low effort which is deflected behind for a corner, but Germany don't manage to capitalise on the set-piece.
90' +1
vs
Stoppage time
Four additional minutes are indicated.
90'
vs
Saville sees yellow
The midfielder goes into the book for pulling Wirtz' shirt to prevent the goalscorer from launching a counter-attack.
90'
vs
George Saville
87'
vs
Further changes
It's another double substitution for the visitors, who have some tired legs out there at the moment.
87'
vs
Ruairi McConville
Eoin Toal
87'
vs
Jamie McDonnell
Isaac Price
86'
vs
Superb from Leweling
The Stuttgart winger has come alive in the second half here. He touches it round his marker down the right flank and storms into the box before trying to dig out a cross, but Hume is there to intercept.
83'
vs
Shoring up the defence
Tah comes on for Rüdiger as Germany look to see this one out.
82'
vs
Jonathan Tah
Antonio Rüdiger
81'
vs
Leweling wriggles free
The winger beats his man down the right before firing a cross in, but Hume heads it away.
77'
vs
O'Neill goes to the bench
The Northern Ireland manager makes a double substitution to introduce Marshall and Saville for Galbraith and McCann as his side look for a way back into the game.
76'
vs
Callum Marshall
Ethan Galbraith
76'
vs
George Saville
Alistair McCann
73'
vs
Wirtz makes it 3-1!
What a free-kick from the Liverpool man! McCann gives away a foul right on the edge of the box for Northern Ireland. Wirtz steps up, and smashes it past Peacock-Farrell into the top left corner.
70'
vs
Dion Charles
Jamie Reid
69'
vs
Amiri restores the advantage!
He's only been on the pitch for less than 10 minutes, but the Mainz man makes it 2-1! A long ball from Raum on the left isn't dealt with by Toal or Peacock-Farrell and falls to Amiri at the far post, who needs only to tap it home into an empty net.
68'
vs
How did that stay out?!
What a save from Peacock-Farrell to keep the scores level at 1-1! Kimmich curls a teasing ball in behind the backline. Wirtz ghosts in behind and gets a toe on it, but the Northern Ireland goalkeeper makes a superb reaction save to deny him.
67'
vs
Fantastic challenge
A long ball over the top finds Beier in behind. Bradley is the only man back, but puts in a heroic challenge to stop the German forward from being through on goal.
66'
vs
Leon Goretzka
Pascal Groß
64'
vs
Another free-kick
Raum takes the set-piece from the opposite side, after Bradley brings down Groß and is shown a yellow card. The wing-back finds Anton at the far post, whose header is powerful but flies just over the bar.
63'
vs
Connor Bradley
63'
vs
Great save!
Three German players stand over the free-kick: Raum, Kimmich and Wirtz. Raum makes a dummy run before being found by Wirtz at the edge of the box. The Leipzig man unleashes a shot, forcing a fantastic stop out of Peacock-Farrell to deny him.
62'
vs
Devenny booked
The left wing-back sees yellow for impeding the run of Amiri down the flank.
62'
vs
Justin Devenny
62'
vs
Double change
Nagelsmann is the first of the managers to go to the bench, making a double substitution as he brings on Amiri and Beier for Gnabry and Woltemade.
61'
vs
Nadiem Amiri
Serge Gnabry
61'
vs
Maximilian Beier
Nick Woltemade
58'
vs
Leweling shoots
The Stuttgart winger takes matters into his own hands, turning his man down the right flank before driving at the visitors' defence and letting fly with his left foot from distance. It's very well-struck, but his powerful effort flies just wide of the target.
53'
vs
Galbraith booked
The Northern Irishman picks up a yellow card for a late challenge on Raum.
53'
vs
Ethan Galbraith
52'
vs
Devenny swings it in
From the right, the left wing-back curls a cross towards the far post, but Baumann just manages to claw the ball to safety.
50'
vs
Overhit
A promising-looking Germany attack culminates in Raum receiving the ball high up the pitch. The Leipzig captain tries a first-time cross on the half-volley, but it's way overhit and goes out for a Northern Ireland throw-in.
48'
vs
Leweling looks for Woltemade
The winger cuts the ball back onto his left foot down the right for Germany before crossing in towards Woltemade. However, the 6'6'' striker can't get his head to it and it goes behind for a goal-kick.
46'
vs
Back underway!
The ball is rolling again here in Cologne. Both sides emerge after half-time unchanged.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +2
vs
Offside
A ball in behind finds the run of Raum, who smashes the ball into the top corner past Peacock-Farrell, but it won't stand - the assistant referee had his flag raised correctly for offside.
45' +1
vs
Stoppage time
Three additional minutes are indicated.
44'
vs
Visitors get it clear
Leweling tries to slip Raum through to the byline down the left. It deflects off Groß but finds its way through to the full-back, who plays a cross into the middle. Peacock-Farrell manages to punch it clear, though it wasn't a particularly confident-looking clearance.
41'
vs
Baumann punches it
A free-kick from near the halfway line causes problems in the box for Germany. Baumann, not wanting to take any chances, opts to punch Toal's header, before his defenders finish the job.
39'
vs
Pressing high
Northern Ireland have their tails up here and are putting Germany's defence under a lot of pressure high up the pitch. Nagelsmann side are managing to weather this storm for now, though.
34'
vs
Price with the leveller!
It has to be said that that's been coming. From the corner, Devenny plays an inswinger finding Price at the far post, whose run went untracked. The forward meets the ball on the volley, smashing it past Baumann from close range to make it 1-1, stunning the home crowd in the process.
32'
vs
Promising from Price
The forward dispossesses Rüdiger before immediately looking to put a cross into the box. Germany deal with it, but it falls right back to him, and Northern Ireland work it to Bradley, whose subsequent cross is blocked behind for a corner.
31'
vs
Wide by McNair
Devenny takes another corner from the left and this time, he finds McNair at the far post, who had timed his run perfectly to get his head on it. However, the defender's effort is off target and doesn't test Baumann in goal.
30'
vs
First corner for the visitors
Northern Ireland are pressing forward more and earn themselves a corner after Devenny's cross is blocked behind by Rüdiger. Devenny takes it, playing an outswinger in, but Germany head it behind for another corner.