Germany forward Nick Woltemade scored twice in the second half to give the four-time world champion a hard-earned 2-0 win over Luxembourg in its penultimate FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier on Friday, leaving it on the brink of automatic qualification.

Woltemade, who has now scored his team’s last three goals after also netting the winner in its 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland last month, put the visitor in front in the 49th minute with the Germans surprisingly on the back foot for much of the first half.

The Newcastle United striker added another in the 69th to keep Germany top of Group A on 12 points, with Slovakia, its next opponent on Monday, in second place on goal difference.

Julian Nagelsmann’s team lacked any real punch up front in the first half while littering the pitch with defensive errors that allowed Luxembourg to carve out several scoring chances.

Germany, however, will now punch its ticket for next year’s World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, with a win or a draw in Monday’s final qualifier against the Slovaks.

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The group winner earns automatic qualification while the second-placed team goes into playoffs in March.

Slovakia snatches victory over Northern Ireland

Slovakia’s Tomas Bobcek scored in stoppage time to seal a dramatic 1-0 win over Northern Ireland on Friday after two VAR disallowed goals, with both sides clinching at least a playoff spot.

Slovakia had two second-half goals chalked off after VAR reviews at Kosice Football Arena before Bobcek bundled in the ball from a corner kick with goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell well out of his net in the 91st minute, sending the home fans into raptures.

It was third time lucky. The home side had celebrated what it thought was its first goal in the 55th minute when Lukas Haraslin won a free kick and fired a low shot into the net, but Milan Skriniar was offside and interfered with Peacock-Farrell.

There were more roller-coaster emotions 10 minutes later when David Strelec got a touch on Haraslin’s free kick to guide it into the far corner of the net, but VAR determined it came off Middlesbrough striker’s arm.

Northern Ireland, which had Daniel Ballard sent off in the 99th minute, hosts last-placed Luxembourg on Monday.

Published on Nov 15, 2025