Justin Devenny and Shea Charles scored their first Northern Ireland goals after Jamie Reid got his first in a competitive international in Thursday’s 3-1 win over 10-man Luxembourg to get three points on the board.
Aiman Dardari had cancelled out Reid’s early strike – scored on the rebound from a missed Isaac Price penalty – but Charles struck seconds into the second half and after Seid Korac saw red for a second bookable offence in the 66th minute, Devenny soon sealed it.
A positive start to this away double-header was seen as imperative for Northern Ireland’s hopes in Group A, and O’Neill’s side set off on their two-and-a-half-hour drive north to Cologne knowing they had achieved their primary objective.
“The message to the players when they met up last Sunday was, if we go home with three points it will be a good trip,” O’Neill said. “But if we go home with more than that, it’ll be a great trip. We have the chance to make it a great trip now.”
I’m sure they’ll be under a lot of scrutiny and criticism in their own country. Maybe they are in a weak moment.
Northern Ireland can expect to be facing a wounded animal in Cologne after Germany, the out-and-out group favourites, were beaten 2-0 by Slovakia in their opening game in Bratislava.
“I haven’t seen the game but obviously it’s a fantastic result for Slovakia,” O’Neill said. “We know there’ll be a reaction from Germany to that result.
“I’m sure they’ll be under a lot of scrutiny and criticism in their own country. Maybe they are in a weak moment.
“I’ve played against Germany many times when they were world champions.
“I don’t think this team is quite at that level at this minute in time but they’ve got some excellent players and like all German teams, they’ll have a reaction to that result and we have to be ready for that.”
Michael O’Neill
Northern Ireland came into Thursday’s game having been hit by injuries to the likes of Daniel Ballard, Pierce Charles, Brodie Spencer and Paul Smyth, having already been without Conor Hazard and Ciaron Brown.
There was also a question mark over the match fitness of Conor Bradley, who had made only one late substitute appearance for Liverpool this season after injury, while Paddy McNair was a late arrival into camp after travelling from San Diego.
But Bradley managed 76 minutes of the match in Luxembourg, showing flashes of his electric ability before making way for Jamie Donley, while McNair played until being replaced by George Saville in the 84th minute.
“We’ve not had any injuries, which is a positive,” O’Neill said. “We’ve got minutes into the lads which is good for any player in a World Cup qualifying game to get on the pitch.”