Germany secured top spot in Group C as Mario Gomez’s 29th-minute goal was enough to see off a spirited Northern Ireland side in Paris on Tuesday. Germany’s result, coupled with Poland’s 1-0 victory over Ukraine in the group’s other game meant that they topped their group on goal difference.
Northern Ireland finished third in the group with 3 points(GD 0) and must wait to see whether they qualify for the knockouts of the UEFA Euro 2016 as one of the best fourth-placed teams in the football tournament.
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Here are some of the talking points from the game:-
#1 Thomas Muller simply can’t score
One of the most frustrated men on the pitch was forward Thomas Muller, who simply couldn’t manage to find the back of the net in the first half. He was denied by goalkeeper Michael McGovern twice, hit the wood work twice and narrowly miscued a further two opportunities.
He partly redeemed himself with the assist for Gomez’s goal, but his lack of goals and poor goals to shots ratio will be a worry for Joachim Low’s side as it doesn’t do justice to Germany’s quality in midfield. Nevertheless, Muller is a proven quality player and he is more than capable of putting his goal drought behind him and return to the scoresheet in the knockouts.
#2 Northern Ireland absolutely battered
Following a famous victory over Ukraine – their first ever in Euro history – Northern Ireland would have expected a rise in the quality of the opposition as they prepared to face the world champions. They got exactly what they had expected – an incisive German side keen to improve on their goalless draw against Poland.
For nearly 90 percent of the game, they were behind the ball and had to put bodies on the line to keep the score down. Thomas Muller’s innumerable misses and keeper McGovern’s heroics kept Michael O’Neill’s side in the game.
Needless to say, they were absolutely worn out at the end of the game, chasing a German side playing like defending champions.
#3 Michael McGovern, the Northern Irish wall
Like many unfancied teams in this tournament, Northern Ireland relied on their goalkeeper Michael McGovern to stand tall against the rampant Germans. He was excellent in the first half, making three impressive saves to deny Muller and Mario Gotze.
He was called into action on two further occasions in the second half, once to keep Sami Khedira’s low shot out and the other to parry Mario Gomez’s header away for a corner.
Northern Ireland might have lost by a higher margin than what the actual scoreline suggests but for McGovern’s crucial saves. He might just have kept Northern Ireland in the tournament as one of the four best third-placed teams.
#4 Germany drop the pace in the second half
Following a first-half where they created a glut of goal-scoring opportunities, Germany took their foot off the gas in the second period. Northern Ireland were even allowed the luxury to get the ball out of the box and lead a counter-attack through Steven Davis.
Apart from a Mario Gotze shot which went off target and a Mario Gomez header which was saved by McGovern, Germany couldn’t muster any meaningful chances at goal. The introduction of Andre Schurrle and Bastian Schweinsteiger – in an attempt to add some potency to Germany’s attacking index - didn’t serve the requisite purpose. Only 3 out of their 12 attempts at goal were on target.
Credit must go to Northern Ireland for frustrating the world champions, but questions will be asked of Joachim Low’s side regarding their inability to finish off opponents with that second goal.
#5 How did Joshua Kimmich fare for Germany?
An interesting tweak in the starting line-up saw Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich replace Benedikt Howedes at right-back for Germany. Kimmich’s willingness to go up the pitch and general suggestions that he was a more creative player than Howedes, were speculated as the reasons for the switch.
He affirmed each of those attributes on the field, making a number of advances up the field to get involved in Germany’s attacks and putting in a number of quality crosses for Mario Gomez and Muller to exploit. He even took the initiative to approach the Northern Irish penalty box and get a couple of shots away.
It was a productive display from the youngster and one wouldn’t be surprised if he manages to retain his place in the starting XI ahead of Howedes in the knockouts.
