Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SHAME OF KING AFTER DRUBBING
Ireland U21 Germany U21
IRELAND Under-21 boss Noel King admits to feeling a sense of shame after his side were crushed by European champions Germany last night.
The Boys in Green needed a result at Tallaght Stadium against the group leaders to keep in the mix to reach next year’s Euros but were completely outclassed.
Three of the six goals came from the penalty spot yet Alexander Nubel in the visitors’ goal was never threatened over the 90 minutes.
Ireland will need to win their last two games, both away, against Israel and Germany next month to have any hope of finishing second and nicking a play-off route to Italy.
“Germany are a superb side but we certainly contributed to our own downfall,” said King (inset) after the heaviest defeat of his eight-year reign.
“They were leading us 2-0 up until the final 25 minutes and I don’t know what happened to our lads after that. It was the weirdest game I’ve ever been involved in and I definitely feel a shame about the scoreline.”
It was routine for the Germans from the moment Aaron Seydel grabbed the lead after only six minutes.
Jake Mulraney committed a needless foul on Lukas Kolstermann to allow Cedric Teuchert to convert a penalty on 22 minutes.
After getting gifted a third on 65 minutes when O’hara’s weak clearance was collected by Newhaus who teed up Teuchert to send a rising shot into the roof of the net, he notched his hat-trick eight minutes later.
Liam Kinsella’s foul on Max
Eggestein offered Teuchert another opportunity to hammer a penalty home, which he did with aplomb.
Two goals by half-time substitute Suat Serdar completed the rout.
On 82 minutes, he converted another penalty, with the hapless Mulraney again tripping Kolstermann.
He then back-heeled in a second four minutes later to rub Ireland’s nose in it.