Mcgovern concedes as Germany qualify

NORTHERNIRELAND

Magennis 90

GERMANY

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Rudy 2, Wagner 21, Kimmich 86 Germany will be in Russia next summer to defend their World Cup crown, having sealed their qualification by inflicting a first competitive home defeat on Northern Ireland in four years.

Michael O’neill’s men last lost a qualifier in Belfast to Portugal in September 2013 but they were beaten here by perhaps the planet’s finest international team.

The runners-up berth has already been sewn up by the Northern Irishmen ahead of their final qualifier in Norway on Sunday, and they could be assured of a play-off place before that if results on Saturday night go their way.

Michael Mcgovern’s tenhour run without conceding a goal was ended inside two minutes, and in some fashion. Leon Goretzka’s cross was volleyed out by Lee Hodson to the tremendous Joshua Kimmich and he teed up Bayern team-mate Sebastian Rudy to fire a 30-yard bullet into the top corner.

Mcgovern clawed out one Sandro Wagner effort and another was nodded on to a post, but the Germans did not have to wait long to double their lead. Thomas Muller rolled the pass to Wagner and he took a touch to open his body up and turn away from Mcauley before ruthlessly rifling in a left-footed shot.

It could have got worse, Rudy, Kimmich and Wagner nearly linking up for a delicious third. Home substitute Conor Washington side-stepped Jerome Boateng with ease only to lash his attempt on to the frame of the goal before Kimmich’s fine volley beat Mcgovern at his near post after Marvin Plattenhardt’s delivery was headed into the sky by Jonny Evans. Amazingly, the home fans were still singing at fulltime thanks to Josh Magennis, pictured, heading home from a Brunt corner that was directed to him by Mcauley.