The German national team partially rehabilitated after the disastrous appearance in Slovakia – a decisive factor in the 3-1 (1: 1) on Sunday evening (07.09.2025) at the World Cup qualification game against Northern Ireland was Joker Nadiem Amiri.
Serge Gnabry in Cologne made the lead in the 7th minute, Isaac Price (34th). After the break, Joker Amiri (69.) met, shortly afterwards Florian Wirtz added 3: 1 (72nd). Amiri then said at the Sportschau microphone: “These are moments that I dreamed of as a little boy just indescribable. It wasn’t easy after the game on Thursday, but I think we were able to give the team a push again after our substitution.”
Nagelsmann praised: “We came in well, then there was uncertainty after the goal, which is normal. But the team’s reaction was important after the break, in the end we deservedly won. After we were recently back at zero, we should now take it as a starting point to develop further forward.”
Kimmich praises greed and grip
Captain Joshua Kimmich said the ARD: “It was about showing a reaction, but above all it was about the three points. After the 1-1, it was certainly not a good phase of us, but in the end it was a deserved victory. Each of us knew what it was all about, we were handy and greedy.”
Julian Nagelsmann had changed his starting eleven in five positions and also adjusted the basic order with a 3-4-2-1 system. Without Jonathan Tah, Leon Goretzka, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Angelo Stiller and Namdi Collins, the national coach started the race, but with Waldemar Anton, Robin Koch, David Raum, Pascal Groß and Jamie Leweling.
Woltemade wins the crucial duel
The two offensive forces Serge Gnabry and Nick Woltemade remained in the team, which paid off early: After a tee of the Northern Irish keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, the DFB team went consistently into the pressing, Woltemade won two important duels and bug the ball in the run of Gnabry. The Munich also prevailed robustly and closed into the left corner with a wonderful lupfer.
Serge Gnabry scores the 1-0 against Northern Ireland
As a result, the efforts of the Germans were recognizable to have the ball circulated faster than to be against Slovakia and more consistently in the second balls. However, what fell by the wayside was the playful element. Florian Wirtz dipped down completely in phases, Woltemade had been awkward in the penalty area several times, even large and Kimmich hardly contributed anything usable on the offensive.
Rüdiger covered, Gnabry does not take care of
From the supposed game control with a lot of unproductive possession of the ball, complacency was made. Already when building the game from the defense, inaccuracies crept in, a mistake by Antonio Rüdiger in the 32nd minute turned out to be a serious. At the resulting corner, Gnabry let his opponent Price run, who used his freedom on the second post for a perfect volley degree.
After the 1-1, the German game received phases, which had also been in Bratislava on Thursday. Any order was lost, the parts of the team drifted apart, the playing players hardly got any offers from their colleagues – it became wild and chaotic. The northern Irish noticed the general uncertainty, now broke out into the opposition in the German penalty area, only scoring opportunities did not result.
Anton hits the latte, Amiri strikes
Even in the second round, the disorder initially stopped, only when Nagelsmann duplicate after one hour did a jerk went through the team. Amiri and the nominated Maximilian Beier Kamen Kamen for Gnabry and Woltemade, and especially Amiri was immediately at operating temperature. He took out two yellow cards in his first two minutes of use, and there were finally goal scenes again: space failed after a free kick variant on Peacock-Farrell, then a header roamed the crossbar from Anton to the area.
Then there was also the pioneer of the new German leadership. His flank was intended for Beier, he missed the ball, but irritated Peacock Farrell – so that the approaching Amiri could enforce.
Wirtz with the perfect free kick
Three minutes later, the Mainz was only broken by a foul, the subsequent free kick circled Wirtz from 22 meters in brilliantly into the left corner. After that, the resistance of the northern Irish was largely broken, the DFB team transported the leadership without great shine, but at least in the last quarter of an hour over the finish line. The audience in Cologne applauded the team at the end – there was still a clearly audible whistle concert at the break.
The Germans now continue on October 10 against Luxembourg and three days later in Northern Ireland. The possibly crucial game for group victory will take place on November 17 in Leipzig against the Slovaks, which on Sunday evening brought about a 1-0 against Luxembourg.