Germany miss out on the chance to secure qualification for the European Championship in France next year with one game to spare. In the penultimate matchday of Group D, Die Mannschaft were beaten 1-0 away to The Republic of Ireland. The only goal of the evening was scored by Shane Long in the 70th minute, and it will make for a tense encounter against Georgia on Sunday (20:45 CEST) in Leipzig, where the DFB-Team will need to collect that final point. Joachin Löw’s side do still remain at the top of the group with 19 points ahead of Poland and Ireland both on 18, but the job is not done yet.
The World Cup winners started positively and pushed forwards from the start in front of 51,000 spectators in the Aviva Stadium. Only 25 seconds into the game, Jonas Hector picked out Reus with a perfect cross to create the first chance of the game. The BVB star then found Müller who steered an early shot towards Shay Given’s goal. Germany continued to press and earned themselves four corners inside the opening ten minutes. The best chance in this period fell to Jerome Boateng who was left unmarked but headed over.
The better chances to take the lead continued to fall to the visitors: In the eleventh minute Mario Götze pulled the ball back for Ilkay Gündogan after an eye-catching run into the penalty area, but Gündogan sent his first-time effort just over the bar. After 19 minutes, Özil put the ball in the back of Ireland’s net from five metres after being played in by Müller, but he was correctly adjudged to be offside and the goal was disallowed.
Germany with most of the action
Germany tried everything, enjoyed 70 percent possession, but found it increasingly difficult to open up the compact Irish defence. The home side fought hard to keep winning the ball back and break forward over the half-way line, but struggled to get any further than the edge of the penalty area. Captain Manuel Neuer, leading Die Mannschaft in place of the injured Bastian Schweinsteiger was left untested in the first half.
Manager Joachim Löw was pleased with his team’s defending in the first half. His only real worry from the first 45 minutes was Mario Götze, who came off with an injury to his inner ten minutes before the half-time whistle. André Schürrle replaced the Bayern München man. Ireland’s manager Martin O’Neill was also forced into making a change: Goalkeeper Shay Given pulled a muscle taking a goal kick and was stretchered off the pitch. Darren Randolph took his place between the sticks.
'Super sub' Long puts Ireland in front
After the break, Die Mannschaft continued to dominate, and came very close after Neuer threw the ball forward to instigate a counter attack which Reus crossed in for Schürrle who saw his volleyed effort clear the crossbar. As for Ireland; a terrific fighting spirit saw them continue to threaten Germany. Daryl Murphy put his shot from the edge of the area just wide of Neuer’s goal after 64 minutes. His replacement: Shane Long, on the other hand, ran onto a long goal kick from Randolph, took it down well and drilled his shot past Neuer and into the back of the net to put the 'Boys in Green' ahead after 70 minutes.
Die Mannschaft immediately went on the hunt for the equaliser: Mats Hummels’s header went just wide of the post two minutes after going behind. Shortly after, it was Müller’s turn to uncharacteristically pass up a glorious opportunity. Boateng also came close as he saw his long-range effort parried out for a corner after 81 minutes.
Bellarabi and Volland called upon to change the game
In the closing stages, Joachim Löw brought on Karim Bellarabi and Kevin Volland to replace Ginter and Gündogan. Die Mannschaft tried everything, but found it more and more difficult to link up properly, and eventually left the pitch defeated for the second time in this qualifying campaign.
In the final group game on Sunday, the World Cup winners will face Georgia, who earlier today beat Gibraltar 4-0, but stand no chance of qualifying for the European Championship next year.
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Germany miss out on the chance to secure qualification for the European Championship in France next year with one game to spare. In the penultimate matchday of Group D, Die Mannschaft were beaten 1-0 away to The Republic of Ireland. The only goal of the evening was scored by Shane Long in the 70th minute, and it will make for a tense encounter against Georgia on Sunday (20:45 CEST) in Leipzig, where the DFB-Team will need to collect that final point. Joachin Löw’s side do still remain at the top of the group with 19 points ahead of Poland and Ireland both on 18, but the job is not done yet.
The World Cup winners started positively and pushed forwards from the start in front of 51,000 spectators in the Aviva Stadium. Only 25 seconds into the game, Jonas Hector picked out Reus with a perfect cross to create the first chance of the game. The BVB star then found Müller who steered an early shot towards Shay Given’s goal. Germany continued to press and earned themselves four corners inside the opening ten minutes. The best chance in this period fell to Jerome Boateng who was left unmarked but headed over.
The better chances to take the lead continued to fall to the visitors: In the eleventh minute Mario Götze pulled the ball back for Ilkay Gündogan after an eye-catching run into the penalty area, but Gündogan sent his first-time effort just over the bar. After 19 minutes, Özil put the ball in the back of Ireland’s net from five metres after being played in by Müller, but he was correctly adjudged to be offside and the goal was disallowed.
Germany with most of the action
Germany tried everything, enjoyed 70 percent possession, but found it increasingly difficult to open up the compact Irish defence. The home side fought hard to keep winning the ball back and break forward over the half-way line, but struggled to get any further than the edge of the penalty area. Captain Manuel Neuer, leading Die Mannschaft in place of the injured Bastian Schweinsteiger was left untested in the first half.
Manager Joachim Löw was pleased with his team’s defending in the first half. His only real worry from the first 45 minutes was Mario Götze, who came off with an injury to his inner ten minutes before the half-time whistle. André Schürrle replaced the Bayern München man. Ireland’s manager Martin O’Neill was also forced into making a change: Goalkeeper Shay Given pulled a muscle taking a goal kick and was stretchered off the pitch. Darren Randolph took his place between the sticks.
'Super sub' Long puts Ireland in front
After the break, Die Mannschaft continued to dominate, and came very close after Neuer threw the ball forward to instigate a counter attack which Reus crossed in for Schürrle who saw his volleyed effort clear the crossbar. As for Ireland; a terrific fighting spirit saw them continue to threaten Germany. Daryl Murphy put his shot from the edge of the area just wide of Neuer’s goal after 64 minutes. His replacement: Shane Long, on the other hand, ran onto a long goal kick from Randolph, took it down well and drilled his shot past Neuer and into the back of the net to put the 'Boys in Green' ahead after 70 minutes.
Die Mannschaft immediately went on the hunt for the equaliser: Mats Hummels’s header went just wide of the post two minutes after going behind. Shortly after, it was Müller’s turn to uncharacteristically pass up a glorious opportunity. Boateng also came close as he saw his long-range effort parried out for a corner after 81 minutes.
Bellarabi and Volland called upon to change the game
In the closing stages, Joachim Löw brought on Karim Bellarabi and Kevin Volland to replace Ginter and Gündogan. Die Mannschaft tried everything, but found it more and more difficult to link up properly, and eventually left the pitch defeated for the second time in this qualifying campaign.
In the final group game on Sunday, the World Cup winners will face Georgia, who earlier today beat Gibraltar 4-0, but stand no chance of qualifying for the European Championship next year.
