Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill voiced his disappointment after his team’s 3-1 loss to Germany in a World Cup qualifier. Despite a spirited performance and an equalizer from Isaac Price, Germany’s quick-fire goals secured their win. O’Neill cited defensive errors and questioned refereeing decisions as factors in the defeat, while highlighting the team’s pride and determination to improve in upcoming home games against Slovakia and Germany.
Michael O'Neill, the Northern Ireland manager, expressed a palpable sense of disappointment within the team's dressing room following their 3-1 defeat to Germany in a recent World Cup qualifying match. The game, held in Cologne, saw Germany take an early lead through Serge Gnabry. However, Northern Ireland displayed resilience, with Isaac Price leveling the score with a well-taken volley from a corner.
Despite their spirited performance, Northern Ireland couldn't contain Germany, who found the net twice in quick succession. Nadiem Amiri and Liverpool's Florian Wirtz scored, securing a much-needed victory for the Germans in Group A.
O'Neill, speaking to BBC Sport NI's Gavin Andrews, acknowledged the team's pride in their display but lamented the evident disappointment. "We are very proud of the display, but there is a real sense of disappointment in the dressing room, which is understandable," he stated.
He further highlighted the challenges of playing two games in a short period, particularly with limited squad depth. "This is a really tough game, second game in a short period of time. It showed we weren't able to make changes. We just don't have the depth to cope in this situation."
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Highlights: Germany beat Northern Ireland with quick-fire double
Reflecting on the goals conceded, O'Neill pointed to defensive vulnerabilities that allowed Amiri to capitalize. He also questioned the decision to award the free-kick from which Wirtz scored, describing it as "soft."
"For 60 or 65 minutes we were well in the game. The second goal is a bit of a freak goal, we could have defended it better. The third goal isn't a free-kick. It's a fantastic finish but it's a soft free-kick," he elaborated.
O'Neill also expressed his view that the referee's officiating became overly meticulous in the second half, contrasting with his performance in the first. Despite the defeat, Northern Ireland currently holds the second position in Group A, having secured a win in their initial two matches.
Looking ahead, O'Neill considers his team to be on par with their expectations at this stage of the qualifiers. He emphasized the importance of their upcoming home games against Slovakia and Germany in October. "It's tough to play two games away from home," he noted. "We got what we hoped for, but we're a bit disappointed it's not a little bit more."
He concluded by stressing the need for the team to prepare for the home fixtures, emphasizing that positive results in those games would significantly enhance their position in the group. "We have to be ready to play back-to-back at home and we know two good results will put us in a good position." The team will be working hard to prepare a game plan for these matches.