Germany’s Win Over Northern Ireland
Germany traveled to Northern Ireland looking to cement their top spot after a professional home win against Luxembourg. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann trusted the same team that had won three days earlier and they delivered. In front of a raucous home crowd in Belfast, Germany battled to a hard-fought 1-0 victory that puts them back on track for next year’s 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Key Takeaways from the Match
The match was a testament to Germany’s strength and determination. Nick Woltemade scored his first goal for Germany by awkwardly sending a corner into the goal with his shoulder. It was a great moment for a player who started life with a bang at Newcastle, but it also meant Germany scored eight goals in qualifying, five of which came from set pieces.
Standard Situations Become a Strength
Mads Buttgereit, who arrived in 2021, appears to have made some big changes since last year when Germany’s standard rate was disappointingly low. The team struggled greatly, failing to score goals from corners or free kicks in Qatar or at the home European Championships. Over a year later the picture looks completely different. “I wouldn’t make too much of it, but we talk about it a lot and concentrate on it,” Woltemade told broadcaster RTL. "It’s nice to talk about the fact that we score from set pieces. That makes us more unpredictable."
Intimidating Atmosphere Handled
Northern Ireland have not lost at home for two years. They are fighting for the chance to take part in a World Cup for the first time since 1986. The good mood was reflected in the exuberant atmosphere at Windsor Park, where every tackle won, every corner won, every defensive header cleared was greeted with loud cheers by the home crowd. Germany seemed a bit intimidated at first, but they found a way to deal with it. Corners were cleared, momentum was regained, passion and intensity were fulfilled.
Germany’s Response to the Opponent and Audience
“It wasn’t a pretty game, but we responded to the emotions of the opponent and the audience,” said Nagelsmann. "It was a real fight. It was about the result today," said Joshua Kimmich afterwards. David Raum was perhaps the best example of this. He showed his appetite for such games and at the same time delivered perhaps his best performance in Germany. "Hats off to the home fans. It was an incredible atmosphere," said David Raum.
No Goalkeeping Problem for Germany
With Marc-Andre ter Stegen still recovering from injury, it was perhaps unsurprising that rumors of Manuel Neuer coming out of retirement to become Germany’s goalkeeper during the World Cup grew. In fact, the way Oliver Baumann played in these qualifiers proves that there is no need to worry about the goalkeeper’s position. At 35 years old, Baumann is a veteran. For the goalkeeper, who has played almost 500 Bundesliga games, he took advantage of his chance in the colors of Germany. He kept Germany in games and in Belfast he was calm on his feet, dominated the penalty area and made a great save at the end to ensure the three points stayed with the traveling team.
