Chris Weir reporting from Windsor Park - Welcome to our Northern Ireland v Germany Minute by Minute live report from Windsor Park in Belfast. The
Chris Weir reporting from Windsor Park –
Welcome to our Northern Ireland v Germany Minute by Minute live report from Windsor Park in Belfast. The top game of Group C will see second place Northern Ireland entertain first place Germany. Germany need one point to secure their spot for next summer’s World Cup in Russia. Northern Ireland in the meantime need just one point to secure their playoff spot, but could still dethrone Germany from the top spot with a win tonight and a victory against Norway on matchday 10 should Germany also lose their last group stage match against Azerbaijan.
Northern Ireland v Germany – Buildup
FULL TIME! Northern Ireland 1-3 Germany
An absorbing game at the National Stadium, but Germany had already done the hard work by the time Northern Ireland launched a belated come back in the second half. Joshua Kimmich made the result safe, but the biggest cheer of the night arrived on 91 minutes with a thoroughly deserved goal for Josh Magennis. In the end though, a fair result.
91.
GOAL FOR NORTHERN IRELAND! Magennis glances in a McAuley knockdown from the corner. A strike that his performance deserves.
90.
Closing stages here as the rain gets heavier. Washington just misses a dangerous cross slung in from the right touchline
89.
Corner for Northern Ireland. No takers in the box as the hosts press for a consolation.
87.
GOAL! NI 0-3 Germany (Kimmich)
Kimmich puts the icing on the cake. A high ball is dispatched underneath McGovern. Even from six yards, he has no chance with Kimmich’s superb volley.
90.
Nice skill from Saville to switch the play right. Acquitted himself well since coming on.
86.
‘Can you hear the Germans sing? No!’ cry the home support. The truth is, they haven’t needed to.
81.
Chance for Germany! Saville with a last ditch interception to deny a tap in for Sané. Muller’s cross is his last contribution as he’s hooked off in favour of Lars Stindl.
80.
Chance for Germany! The impressive Sané skies over from inside the box. Finding himself as Germany’s most advanced player in these closing stages.
80.
Substitution NI – George Saville replaces Corry Evans to make his international debut against the world champions.
78.
Magennis has been impressive tonight but he fails to make the most of another NI counter attack. Muller urging his teammates to keep calm.
77.
Chance for Northern Ireland! Washington shrugs off a challenge in the box but his left-footed strike glances off the crossbar. Unlucky!
74.
Just over fifteen minutes to go here. NI have been better but they’re running out of time to get something from this game.
71.
Nervous play from ter Stegen as he is closed down by Irish forwards. The visitors seem rattled. Meanwhile, Leroy Sané has replaced Sebastian Rudy.
70.
Good skill from Washington to evade two German challenges. Dangerous throw for the hosts is nodded into the box. Stuart Dallas’ volley from the resulting rebound is well wide.
69.
Substitution Northern Ireland. Conor Washington replaces the disappointing Lafferty.
68.
Chance Germany! Kroos flies over from 18 yards. That was an opportunity to put the game to bed.
66.
Substitution – Germany. Emre Can replaces Goretzka.
65.
Foul on Wagner allows for a dangerous free-kick from the left wing. Germany waste it but they’re settling back into matters here.
63.
Great play once more from McLaughlin to control a long ball from McAuley. Davis’ cross threatens but nobody on the end of it.
62.
Lovely build up from Germany as Plattenhardt sashays into the home box. Cleared last ditch but another German corner is cleared belatedly.
59.
Foul by Muller. The Bayern man, for all his team’s superiority, looks out of sorts.
56.
Northern Ireland much better so far. Pressing with intensity but Germans keeping their cool wonderfully to pass around the harrying green shirts.
55.
Great play again from the hosts. Corry Evans sets Lafferty free on the right but the striker cant find a teammate with the cross-cum-shot.
54.
Good play from McLaughlin as he fires a dangerous ball in from the right. The crowd loved that from the Millwall man. No teammate there to finish it however.
51.
Chance for Germany! McGovern tips a header past his near post. Resulting corner cleared easily as Germany set up camp once more in the Irish half.
53.
ter Stegen cheered ironically by the home support as he leisurely restarts play. Crowd in no mood to give up just yet.
47.
Half-time substitution sees Stuart Dallas replace the ineffectual Lee Hodson. Northern Ireland again searching for Lafferty with the long bl but Boateng knocks it out for a throw.
45.
Back underway at the National Football Stadium. Hosts looking aggressive from the off.
HALF-TIME! NI 0-2 Germany
A disastrous 45 minutes for the hosts as a comfortable looking Germany sail into a 2 goal lead. The visitors have been utterly dominant. Bob Marley might be singing ‘Don’t worry’ over the loudspeaker, but Michael O’Neill’s men won’t appreciate the irony.
42.
Half time whistle can’t come quick enough for O’Neill’s men. Kimmich with another dangerous cross from the right. Steven Davis struggling to ignite the NI counterattack.
40.
Chance for Northern Ireland! Cross from the right falls to a green shirt in the six yard box before ter Stegen mops up a weak effort. The home fans appreciate that!
38.
Cross in from Rudy evades a teammate. Germany building patiently in the home half.
38.
Crowd getting frustrated with Hummels, who they think has been lucky not to get a yellow card so far. Steven Davis struggling manfully against Rudy and Kroos but lacking support in the middle as Germany stretch the hosts
34.
Hummels and Boateng may as well pull out a deckchair at this rate. Another low cross from Kimmich cut out at the last by the flagging home defence. Corner comes to nothing.
31.
Davis finds Lafferty with a searching ball on the left wing. Hummels closing him down with a minimum of fuss.
30.
Plattenhardt and Kimmich providing width for the Germans, preventing NI from leaving their own half. Referee ignores crowd calling for a foul on Magennis on halfway.
28.
Draxler with a left footed volley from 18 yards. Sails well wide of McGovern’s goal.
26.
Not one German player in his own half during that last attack. Dominant.
25.
Lafferty trying to isolate Kimmich in the air. So far, it hasn’t worked.
25. GOAL! Sandro Wagner! NI 0 – 2 Germany
A wonderful goal, and it had been coming. Wagner escapes the attention of his marker before curling left-footed past McGovern. Germany well on top.
20.
Germany looking lethal from the left. Searching low cross from Muller just escapes a white shirt.
18.
Close call for the hosts as Germany hit the far post with a glancing header. Home fans getting jittery.
16.
Good work from Magennis again on the right hand side. Cross is too long for a teammate.
13.
Long throw from Magennis cleared away by Hummels. Follow-up doesnt threaten ter Stegen.
12.
Magennis shepherded to the byline by a relaxed-looking Hummels. The visitors looking threatening, especially on the wings.
8.
Germany looking unfazed as they pressurise the home defence here. Northern Ireland looking to Lafferty for the long ball.
1.
Northern Ireland hit back almost immediately from the corner. Fans cheering on as Germany settle in their passing game. Could be a long nightfor the hosts.
GOAL! SEBASTIAN RUDY! Nightmare start for the hosts as the Bayern man buries a half cleared cross.
1.
Kick off here. Early clearance cheered by the home crowd as they chant on from the stands.
19:42
We’re moments away from kick-off here in Belfast. If the anthems are anything to go by, this will be a cracker.
19:33
Fifteen minutes to k19ick-off here. Groundsmen carrying out their last-minute inspections on the turf, which looks reassuringly unsuited to the German passing game.
19.28
What a night for 40-year-old Linfield goalkeeper Roy Carroll. The former United man is old enough to remember the dark days in the 00’s. Hopefully he’ll have a bit more to cheer tonight.
19:25
Germany warming up with some pot-shots against ter-Stegen. Every wayward strike being cheered by the home crowd as they sail into the stands.
19:22
Germany looking relaxed as they warm up with some rondos on a frigid Windsor pitch. Stadium filling up nicely as the skies darken over Belfast. The clock is ticking!
19:09
Michael McGovern had a relatively quiet night last time out against the Czechs. Even with Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira missing, however, the Germans have more than enough to give the Fermanagh man a torrid night indeed.
Much will rely on the enigmatic Kyle Lafftery for the Green and White Army. So often the reference point over the years, the lanky striker will have a hard time getting past Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng. Germany, however, shouldn’t underestimate his capacity for the unexpected.
18:59
LINEUPS
The lineups for Northern Ireland vs Germany. #GAWA #NIRGER pic.twitter.com/zcGOiMCR27
— Futbolgrad (@FutbolgradLive) October 5, 2017
18.45
Atmosphere building nicely along the roads leading up the stadium. Both sets of fans know that much of the hard work has already been done in qualifying. For most, the only stress will be finding a parking space within a country mile of the stadium.
18.38
Fussballstadt is in place at the National Football Stadium for what promises to be a stellar night here in Belfast. With just over an hour to kick-off, Michael O’Neill’s men still have a slim chance of topping the World Champions to the top of Group C. Can they conjure memories of David Healy with another major upset against Germany? We’ll soon find out.
15:00
Welcome from Windsor Park. Read the preview to this match right HERE.
Northern Ireland v Germany will take place at Windsor Park (Citizen69 CC-BY-SA-4.0
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