11 hours ago
2
Florian Wirtz was met with boos during Germany's narrow 1-0 triumph over Northern Ireland.
Despite struggling to make his mark as Julian Nagelsmann's team eked out a victory at Windsor Park on Monday, Wirtz and his teammates managed to hold onto their lead and secure three crucial points in the World Cup qualification race. The deadlock was broken half an hour into the match by Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade, who connected with a corner from David Raum using his shoulder.
Even though Liverpool midfielder Wirtz didn't manage to score or assist, Germany maintained its lead. Germany continues to lead Group A with nine points from four matches, separated only by goal difference from Slovenia in second place.
Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland squad, currently sitting third with six points, could still qualify for next summer's tournament in the United States, while Luxembourg languishes at the bottom of the group.
Wirtz faced a chorus of boos during the match against Northern Ireland.
Just before the Video Assistant Referee ruled out a goal from Dan Ballard within the first quarter of an hour, the Liverpool midfielder nearly sent the ball flying into the stands with a wayward shot.
In the second half, Wirtz further endeared himself to the crowd by dramatically falling in the penalty area. However, he was not deemed to have been fouled, so Germany was not awarded a penalty.
Predictably, the dramatics didn't go down well with the home crowd, and Wirtz found himself being booed whenever he touched the ball. The Liverpool star collapsed once again moments later, this time just beyond the penalty box.
He ultimately won a free-kick, giving his country the chance to deliver the ball into the danger area. In added time, Wirtz was substituted for Jonathan Burkardt.
The German has struggled to establish himself since his summer move from the BayArena to Anfield. Wirtz has failed to find the back of the net or register an assist across his first nine appearances for Liverpool.
The midfielder would have been desperate to end his barren run while representing his country, but he came up empty against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. During a conversation with Sport 1 on Friday, Nagelsmann discussed Wirtz's current situation.
"Even though he hasn't scored any goals, he is still the player who creates the most chances in the Premier League," said the Germany manager. "It's not his fault if his teammates don't convert them, and the statistics don't even tell the whole story.
"Wirtz needs to get used to the league. I saw him playing with total freedom. He knows what he's capable of and how things work. He hasn't always had it easy – he'll have to work hard now too."
Subsequently, when speaking to reporters on Sunday, Nagelsmann added: "I think it's the normal way when you go to a new club, to a new league, it's not that easy at the beginning.
"He will adapt, I think, very quickly, and he will score goals for Liverpool, and he will create a lot of chances. Probably he can score tomorrow and I will be very happy for him and for us."
English (US) ·