Germany found victory again against Northern Ireland and fans sighed in relief, but there were still some bumps along the way, and not all of them regarding the sporting side of things: fans complained about the high cost of tickets and displayed a banner saying “the cost of greed equals empty seats”.
The match, played in Cologne, followed a shocking defeat 2-0 last Thursday, that angered fans and complicated things for Germany regarding their World Cup qualification. Beating Northern Ireland was an obligation, and in the end Germany showed their superiority, but not without suffering, and fans booed when the match was 1-1 in the break.
Julian Nagelsmann, Germany head coach, who was very critical of the players last Thursday, said he gained “a lot of insights today” despite having “lots of steps to take” after trying a different starting eleven, although it was substitute Nadiem Amiri the one that made a bigger contribution to an improved Germany in the second half, ending with a stunning goal by Liverpool player Florian Wirtz.
“I understand the fans because they expect something different. I think a ticket costs quite a bit, and they want to see a different kind of football. I can understand that”, said Nagelsmann. “On the other hand, I can also say that whistles like that don’t really help you much at halftime,” he added, via DW.
The victory places Germany third in the group, tied with Northern Ireland with the same goal average, 0, with Slovakia still as group leader having won the first two games. The next international matches take place in October 10-13.
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