Germany close to World Cup qualification
Hummels header sinks Czechs, Northern Ireland bound for play-offs after beating San Marino
>> PRAGUE: Mats Hummels’ late header sealed Germany a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Prague on Friday to leave the defending champions on the brink of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
The Germans took an early lead at the Eden Arena through Timo Werner, but the Czechs deservedly drew level when Hertha Berlin midfielder Vladimir Darida blasted home a superb equaliser with 12 minutes left.
However, Hummels rescued the world champions after a poor second half when his powerful header hit the net with just two minutes left.
“We had a lot of problems, the biggest one was giving away the ball too easily,” fumed match-winner Hummels.
“I haven’t seen a Germany team do that in the last 10 years.
“That wasn’t the football that we can — or want — to play.”
The win maintained Germany’s perfect run of seven straight wins on the road to Russia which leaves them five points clear of nearest rivals Northern Ireland in Group C with three games left.
Germany host f ourth-placed Norway, who are out of the running, tomorrow.
If Joachim Loew’s men win that and Northern Ireland fail to beat the Czechs, Germany will qualify before their trip to Belfast in October to face the Irish.
However, the Germany coach was far from impressed with what he saw in Prague.
“We can’t be happy with the way we played,” said Loew.
“We had to have a lot of luck today and if Mat hadn’t scored with this great header, then we would have had to live with a draw.”
The defeat effectively ends the Czechs’ slim hopes of qualifying for the World Cup after collecting just nine points from their seven games so far.
Germany are now unbeaten in their past 30 World Cup qualifiers.
Their last defeat came exactly 16 years ago when they were hammered 5-1 by England in Munich as Michael Owen scored a hat-trick on Sept 1, 2001.
Loew started with six of the team which won the Confederations Cup final in July and four World Cup winners — Toni Kroos, Hummels, Mesut Oezil and Thomas Mueller.
Mueller, Germany captain for the night with Manuel Neuer just back from a fractured foot, was also highly critical.
“We simply made too many mistakes,” said the Bayern Munich star.
“In our build up play, we often served the ball up to the Czechs and made life hard for ourselves.”
In the other Group C games, Northern Ireland look bound for the playoffs — among the eight best group runners-up — after winning 3-0 in San Marino.
Norway won 2-0 at home to Azerbaijan in a game that did not affect the qualification picture.
In Group E, Poland and star striker Robert Lewandowski had not failed to score in six previous qualifiers, winning five.
That run ended in Copenhagen as Denmark scored twice in each half in a thumping 4-0 loss for the Poles.
Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen had two assists before scoring the fourth goal himself in the 80th.
Denmark stay in third place, level on points with Montenegro who earlier won 3-0 in Kazakhstan.