Euro 2020: Can Germany Get Back on Track in Ireland?

Northern Ireland vs Germany

Joachim Low takes Germany to Windsor Park in Belfast on Monday in a must win game, to shake off the anguish of Friday’s humiliation at home to the Netherlands

This is a huge match in the Euro 2020 story, as an unlikely Group C leader in Michael O’Neill’s Northern Ireland faces a giant in world football, which has recently been floored. The hosts have four wins from four and sit proudly at the top of a group which contains two European powerhouses, but this is the first time they have faced one of them.

So far O’Neill has guided his side to two wins over both Belarus and Estonia, and while the real battle starts here, you can only beat what’s in front of you and that’s exactly what Northern Ireland has done.

Momentum is vital in football and so is a passionate home crowd, which is guaranteed at Windsor Park. The question is, can Germany overcome both of those factors to get their own campaign back on track?

Talking Points

Germany’s defensive woe

As all SBOBET Euro 2020 fans know, Germany has been, for decades, the model of football efficiency, and as recently as 2014 Champions of the world. But they have been undergoing a period of transition, painfully evidenced by a group exit at Russia 2018 and relegation in the first ever UEFA Nations League.

And after starting this campaign in impressive form, Germany was outplayed, out-thought and outclassed in a 2-4 defeat at home to the Netherlands on Friday night in a game which dominated the Euro 2020 highlights of the weekend. It wasn’t just the quality of the Netherlands’ passing and creative flair which took the eye, but also the catastrophic manner in which Germany’s defence parted in a second half when they conceded four goals.

Captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had an inexperienced back four in front of him, and while Lukas Klostermann looked good going forward, the Netherlands found it all too easy to break down Germany’s resistance, aided by an own goal courtesy of the unlucky Jonathan Tah.

Germany are 3 points behind Northern Ireland in Euro 2020 Group C table — Celebrates after scoring their goal against Netherlands

Germany still has players of real quality though, in the likes of Marcus Reus, Toni Kroos and FC Bayern’s Serge Gnabry, who opened the scoring against the Dutch to make it four so far in this campaign. And of course, Low’s side did manage to beat the Oranje back at the start of this campaign, and followed that up with a 2-0 win over Belarus and an 8-0 hammering of Estonia.

Ireland’s rested players

In the last round of games a late Paddy McNair strike against Belarus gave Northern Ireland a fourth win in four to take O’Neill’s side top of Group C by three points; and while Germany was toiling in Hamburg, the Ireland boss gave some of his players a rest during a friendly win over Luxembourg. The Irish won that game thanks to an own goal from Kevin Malget, while the likes of Conor Washington, Jonny Evans and Craig Cathcart were rested.

Hearts striker Washington is expected to make a start, along with Evans and Cathcart, while forward Josh Magennis, top scorer with two, could start alongside Washington, with the experienced Kyle Lafferty also in contention.

Burnley’s young goalkeeper Bailey Peacock- Farrell may well be the busiest man on the night when Germany comes to town, but the ten in front of him are sure to fight hard to protect him.

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History

Northern Ireland has five wins on the bounce, though Germany is a different quality to any of those five opponents and O’Neill’s team hasn’t won against these opponents in eight attempts, losing the last seven.

The last meeting, a World Cup qualifier in 2017, ended in a 1-3 win for Germany with Magennis on target for the Greens.

The underdogs have won three home games in a row though, and Windsor Park will be bouncing on Monday night!

Betting Tip

	Northern Ireland vs Germany	Northern Ireland + 1.50 @ 1.86
	September 10, 02:45 (GMT+8)

It’s difficult to make a strong case for Northern Ireland in this tie, but the hosts are sitting at the top of their group with a perfect record. And Germany looked worryingly vulnerable against a talented Netherland’s team.

But the very latest Northern Ireland vs Germany betting odds bring the stark reality home that a win for the hosts would be quite a shock. You can get odds of 6.20 on a Northern Ireland win, with a draw at 5.00, while Germany is as short as 1.32.

A double chance of Northern Ireland or draw is at 2.82 and that would be a superb outcome to keep the Irish eyes smiling. I think it unlikely, but neither do I expect an easy ride for Germany.