World Cup Qualifiers: Battling Northern Ireland lose at home

Northern Ireland will need to win their final two matches if they are to have any chance of automatic World Cup qualification.

That's after tonight's narrow defeat at home to Germany - a match very much of two halves.

The first was dominated by the visitors, but in the second, Northern Ireland showed they were capable of getting a result against their illustrious visitors.

However, a combination of good goalkeeping and profligate finishing meant it was a chance missed for Michael O'Neill's side.

O'Neill, in his 100th game in charge, can rghtly feel annoyed by some of the decisions that went against his side from Spanish Referee Jesus Gil Manzano.

The home support certainly vented their anger throughout and even more so at the final whistle.

Right from the outset, it was the visitors who took charge of possession largely as expected.

With Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz at the heart of everything they did, it looked only a matter of time before they took the lead.

However, all they had to show for their efforts and territorial dominance in the early exchanges, were two wild efforts that flew well over the crossbar from Wirtz and centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck in the first 10 minutes.

It was actually Northern Ireland who had the ball in the back of the net first on the quarter hour.

A free-kick from deep by Shea Charles was flicked on from the edge of the box by Daniel Ballard. Paddy McNair got a touch on it and after Jamie Reid had managed to get a shot in, Ballard was on hand to tuck in the rebound from close range.

Windsor Park erupted to as loud a roar as there probably has ever been in the South Belfast stadium – that was until they saw the assistant’s flag being raised, and after a VAR check, McNair had gone too early and was ruled offside, with the goal chalked off.

Germany then found the net themselves just after the half hour mark and this time it stood.

An inch-perfect corner from the right was swung in by the left foot of David Raum and the giant Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade climbed highest to direct his home - even if it did come off his shoulder.

While it was an expertly executed set-piece, the fact that his side conceded from a set-piece at all will undoubtedly have frustrated Michael O’Neill.

Both sides went close either side of the break.

With the final action of the first half, Ali McCann rifled a 25-yard effort just over Oliver Baumann’s goal, with the Germany keeper at full stretch.

Less than 60 seconds after the restart, Germany should have doubled their lead

Karim Adeyemi sped clear of Spencer to bear down on Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s goal, but the Borussia Dortmund attacker could only curl his left-footed effort wide.

After that, it was all Northern Ireland and they had two really good chances to draw level within the space of 90 seconds.

Firstly, after a decent spell of possession for the home side, Shea Charles cracked in a low drive from 15 yards that was beaten out by Baumann. As both half-time sub Josh Magennis and Justin Devenny tried to force it home, sheer weight of numbers enabled Germany to clear.

Then on the hour, Ethan Galbraith found a pocket in the left channel to cut in and try his luck with a piercing right footer that Baumann got a touch on at his near post to send out for a corner.

Twenty minutes from time, Germany served warning of what they were capable of when the lively Serge Gnabry created just enough space to fire in a 20-yarder that Peacock-Farrell had to be alert to push out for a corner.

Five minutes from time, Galbraith went close once more when his left-footed shot from the edge of the box whistled just past the joining of post and crossbar

Two minutes after that, sub Callum Marshall latched onto a fine Trai Hume through ball and his powerful shot forced Baumann into a smart save.

Then at the end of two minutes of stoppage time - a number that caused consternation to everyone of a Northern Ireland persuasion - Magennis seemed to have been hauled down right on the goal line from a corner.

But, as he had done for most of the evening, the man in the middle saw things differently and gave a free to the away side. That led to jeers from the home support, which soon turned to cheers for their own side when the final whistle blew.

It was certainy a case of what could have been for Northern Ireland on a frustrating night,.

Northern Ireland now look to Slovakia away and Luxembourg at home next month to round off their campaign. Wins in both should secure at least a play-off spot.

MATCH STATS

Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell, Hume (C), Ballard, McNair (Smyth 75), Spencer, Devenny, McCann (Marshall 75), S Charles, Galbraith, Reid (Magennis H-T), Price

Subs: Hazard (GK), Southwood (GK), Devlin, Toal, Saville, D Charles, Donley, McConville, McDonnell

Germany: Baumann, Kimmich (C), Raum, Schlotterbeck, Tah, Goretzka, Pavlovic (Anton 86), Wirtz (Baku 90), Gnabry (Andrich 86), Adeyemi (Beier 64), Woltemade (Burkardt 90)

Subs: Nubel (GK), Dahmen (GK), Koch, Amiri, Nmecha, Stiller, Brown

Referee: Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain)