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Germany secured a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland in a crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying match held in Cologne. The game came after Germany faced a disappointing 2-0 loss to Slovakia in their opening qualifier, putting pressure on coach Julian Nagelsmann to make five changes to his starting lineup. Serge Gnabry opened the scoring for Germany just seven minutes into the match, showcasing a promising start.

However, Northern Ireland fought back strongly, and midway through the first half, Isaac Price equalized with a powerful volley from a corner. Germany struggled in the first period, with a lack of pace and fluidity drawing some boos from their home crowd at halftime.

In the second half, Nagelsmann's tactical adjustments paid off as substitutes Maximilian Beier and Nadiem Amiri combined brilliantly to restore Germany’s lead. Beier's run caused confusion for the Northern Ireland goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, allowing Amiri to score from close range.

The defining moment came just three minutes later when Florian Wirtz stepped up to take a free-kick following a foul on Amiri. Wirtz unleashed an impeccable shot, described as a "knuckleball," that soared over the wall and hit the crossbar before going in, stunning the spectators and cementing Germany’s 3-1 lead. This goal was widely praised as a moment of brilliance and earned Wirtz the man of the match honors.

This win prevented Germany from suffering a fourth consecutive international loss, a sequence not seen since 1913, and kept their hopes alive in Group A. Northern Ireland, despite the loss, maintained a competitive spirit and remain hopeful for qualification with the expanded 48-team World Cup format coming next year.


PP