Germany defeated Northern Ireland 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier, with a late free-kick from Florian Wirtz securing the victory. Isaac Price’s earlier goal for Northern Ireland had leveled the score, but second-half goals from Nadiem Amiri and Wirtz ensured the win for the home side.
In a World Cup qualifying match filled with twists and turns, Germany managed to secure a 3-1 victory against a resilient Northern Ireland side. The match, played in Cologne, saw Florian Wirtz's exquisite free-kick ultimately seal the win for the hosts, easing some of the pressure on manager Julian Nagelsmann.
The game began with Germany dominating possession, eager to shake off the lingering effects of their recent 2-0 defeat to Slovakia. The pressure paid off early, with Serge Gnabry finding the net in the seventh minute. After Eoin Toal uncharacteristically lost possession, Nick Woltemade, making a name for himself, swiftly played in Gnabry, who used his strength to power past Justin Devenny before coolly lifting the ball over Bailey Peacock-Farrell, the Northern Ireland goalkeeper.
Woltemade himself had a couple of opportunities to extend Germany's lead as the first half progressed. However, Northern Ireland, against the run of play, began to find their footing. Isaac Price, displaying quick feet and determination, drew a cynical foul from Antonio Rüdiger, resulting in a yellow card for the Real Madrid defender. This moment seemed to shift the momentum of the game.
From Devenny's subsequent corner, Paddy McNair headed over, a sign of Northern Ireland's growing confidence. Moments later, Price dispossessed Rüdiger once more, igniting another attack. This culminated in a second corner for the visitors, again delivered by Devenny. Price met the ball with a stunning volley at the far post, leveling the score and marking his eighth goal in his last nine appearances for Northern Ireland. At just 21, Price is quickly becoming a pivotal figure for his national side.
Suddenly, Germany appeared rattled. Northern Ireland, buoyed by the equalizer, found a new surge of energy, frustrating the home crowd, who greeted the half-time whistle with boos. The second half began with Germany struggling to regain control. Goalkeeper Oliver Baumann looked unconvincing when dealing with another Devenny corner. It took the hosts nearly ten minutes to assert any form of dominance, with Jamie Leweling firing a shot wide from distance.
Peacock-Farrell then produced a brilliant double save, first denying David Raum's shot from the edge of the box and then reacting quickly to kick away Pascal Gross's strike on the rebound. Shortly after, Waldemar Anton headed over from a free-kick as Germany started to turn the screw.
The pressure continued to mount. Trai Hume made a crucial block to deny Joshua Kimmich's powerful strike, and Peacock-Farrell, who earned his 50th cap for Northern Ireland, showed great reflexes to stop Wirtz's effort on the line. The decisive moment arrived in the 69th minute. A sweeping ball forward from Raum caused confusion in the Northern Ireland defense as both Peacock-Farrell and Toal seemed to hesitate, anticipating the other to deal with the run of Maximilian Beier. The ball instead fell kindly for substitute Nadiem Amiri, who simply tapped it into the unguarded net.
Northern Ireland's hard work was quickly unraveling. Just four minutes later, Wirtz, who had been relatively quiet for most of the match, stepped up to take a free-kick. With precision and power, he curled the ball over the wall and into the net, leaving Peacock-Farrell with no chance. This stunning strike effectively sealed the victory for Germany, putting the game beyond Northern Ireland's reach.
Despite the defeat, Northern Ireland can take heart from their performance. They caused Germany significant problems for extended periods, demonstrating the progress of this young and developing team. For Germany, the win provides a much-needed boost and offers some respite from the recent criticism. However, Nagelsmann will be aware that there is still work to be done if they are to consistently perform at the level expected of them.