The fortunes of Nick Woltemade and Alexander Isak continued to go in very different directions after the two strikers competed in international action on Monday night.
Nick Woltemade has enjoyed a fantastic start to life at Newcastle United since he was signed for a record £69m to replace Alexander Isak.
The giant German already has four goals for his new club, but endured a difficult first game during the international break after recovering from the flu in time to play.
Woltemade was criticised by the German media after he failed to score in his country’s 4-0 victory over Luxembourg last week, his fifth cap without finding the back of the net.
Manager Julian Nagelsmann defended Woltemade and was confident the goals would soon start to come. It didn’t take long for him to be proved correct.
Woltemade bagged the only goal in Belfast on Monday as Germany defeated Northern Ireland 1-0 in a crucial World Cup qualifier.
It won’t go down as his best goal, though, as he rose highest to meet a cross, but it flicked in off the back of his head. Yet, they all count.
It also continues Woltemade’s trend of being an aerial threat in the box, something he wasn’t at Stuttgart despite his towering 6’7″ frame.
Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty ImagesAlexander Isak and Anthony Elanga’s Sweden lose again
While Woltemade goes from strength to strength, things continue to go awry for Isak since his £125m move to Liverpool.
Sweden were under immense pressure, after losing at home to Switzerland last week, when they faced Kosovo in Gothenburg, but were defeated once again.
A first-half goal from Fisnik Asallanni made the difference and Sweden will almost certainly miss a second World Cup in a row.
After sitting on the bench last week, Anthony Elanga came on at half-time against Kosovo but was unable to rescue the result.