Rudy stunner helps Germany ease into World Cup finals
BELFAST: Sebastian Rudy, Sandro Wagner and Joshua Kimmich secured defending champions Germany’s place at the 2018 World Cup on Thursday with a clinical 3-1 win over Northern Ireland in Belfast.
Rudy and Wagner’s glorious f irst- hal f strikes had their place all but wrapped up before Kimmich scored late on to extend Germany’s remarkable unbeaten away record to 47 World Cup qualifiers dating back to 1934.
“We’re off to Russia, to tear it up! We want to successfully defend the World Cup title,” said Rudy.
Germany coach Joachim Loew said: “I’m happy. We knew the Northern Irish would play very defensively and they know how to do that well. But we began well and we let them have very few chances.”
The Nor t hern Ir i sh, for whom Josh Magennis grabbed a late consolation, couldn’t give manager Michael O’Neill a memorable scalp on his 50th match in charge as they slid to their first competitive home defeat since Portugal beat them 4-2 in September 2013.
However, they can still look forward to a place in the play- offs and a possible trip to Russia.
“This was a bonus game for us, it could have gone to 4- 0 or 5- 0 but we kept our goal difference in a healthy state. It could easily have been obliterated,” said a relieved O’Neill.
The raucous 18,000 crowd were silenced within two minutes as Rudy lashed home a stunning right- footed effort into the top corner from outside the area that gave Michael McGovern no chance. — AFP