Germany picked up another three points in the race to qualify for EURO 2020 as they beat Northern Ireland 2-0 on Monday evening. Joachim Löw’s team secured their fourth win from five games in Group C, and showed that they had bounced back from their 4-2 loss against the Netherlands. One of the key players in the match was playmaker Marco Reus. The Borussia Dortmund attacker spoke with editor Ronny Zimmerman about the away win and the keys to EURO 2020 success.
DFB.de:Mr. Reus, was the 2-0 win against Northern Ireland the right response after the loss against the Netherlands?
Marco Reus:Yes, especially in the second half. In the first half we had some problems raising our game. Northern Ireland played a good pressing game against us, but they weren’t able to maintain it for the whole 90 minutes. We knew we could win the game if we improved our performance in the second half. After half-time we played a better passing game, created better chances, and were better going forward. We showed that the win was the best response after the loss against the Netherlands. Ultimately, the win was deserved.
DFB.de:What was the key to the win?
Reus:We had a lot more confidence, especially in the second half. We played more good passes, covered a lot more ground in midfield, and then also created some better chances going forward. I’m happy that we kept a clean sheet. It’s a small thing, but it’s very important for us. We’ve started to mesh well as a team, although there’s still a lot of work ahead of us.
DFB.de:You could see that the team were concerned about the tense situation with regards to qualifying for EURO 2020 in Group C. What’s your take on it?
Reus:The pressure on us was a bit bigger, but we didn’t let it get to us. We knew what Northern Ireland were capable of – after all, they had won all four of their European qualifiers so far. Our victory was important, and I think we’re on a good path. It’s an important step in the maturing process of our young team.
Germany picked up another three points in the race to qualify for EURO 2020 as they beat Northern Ireland 2-0 on Monday evening. Joachim Löw’s team secured their fourth win from five games in Group C, and showed that they had bounced back from their 4-2 loss against the Netherlands. One of the key players in the match was playmaker Marco Reus. The Borussia Dortmund attacker spoke with editor Ronny Zimmerman about the away win and the keys to EURO 2020 success.
DFB.de:Mr. Reus, was the 2-0 win against Northern Ireland the right response after the loss against the Netherlands?
Marco Reus:Yes, especially in the second half. In the first half we had some problems raising our game. Northern Ireland played a good pressing game against us, but they weren’t able to maintain it for the whole 90 minutes. We knew we could win the game if we improved our performance in the second half. After half-time we played a better passing game, created better chances, and were better going forward. We showed that the win was the best response after the loss against the Netherlands. Ultimately, the win was deserved.
DFB.de:What was the key to the win?
Reus:We had a lot more confidence, especially in the second half. We played more good passes, covered a lot more ground in midfield, and then also created some better chances going forward. I’m happy that we kept a clean sheet. It’s a small thing, but it’s very important for us. We’ve started to mesh well as a team, although there’s still a lot of work ahead of us.
DFB.de:You could see that the team were concerned about the tense situation with regards to qualifying for EURO 2020 in Group C. What’s your take on it?
Reus:The pressure on us was a bit bigger, but we didn’t let it get to us. We knew what Northern Ireland were capable of – after all, they had won all four of their European qualifiers so far. Our victory was important, and I think we’re on a good path. It’s an important step in the maturing process of our young team.
