Michael O’Neill was left disappointed by a “sore loss” as an unorthodox first international goal from Nick Woltemade gave Germany a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Northern Ireland in Belfast.
Woltemade made the breakthrough in the 31st minute, turning in David Raum’s corner via the back of his shoulder, as a below-par Germany side left Windsor Park with three points that keep them top of Group A, level with Slovakia and three ahead of O’Neill’s side.
A young Northern Ireland once again played with plenty of intent, growing into the game and managing more attempts at goal than their illustrious visitors, but a lack of cutting edge proved costly in O’Neill’s 100th game in charge.
Daniel Ballard had a 14th-minute strike ruled out with Paddy McNair offside in the build-up, but it was otherwise all half-chances they could not force in, leaving them with it all to do to get into Group A’s top two – although they still have a potential safety net via the Nations League.
“We’re disappointed,” O’Neill said. “It was a sore loss. I thought in the first half we lacked a little bit of belief with the ball. To be fair, Germany forced their physicality on top of us and it was difficult for us to get any kind of rhythm.
“The goal that was disallowed would certainly have helped us at that point but it is offside and we shouldn’t really be offside in that situation so it’s an error on our part.
“The goal we lose is a freak goal, we should defend the corner better but it comes off the player’s shoulder and ends up in our net, so it wasn’t even a header.
“That’s disappointing, but in the second half we were terrific, we gave everything and we just couldn’t force an equaliser…
“It felt like a game that was either going to be decided by a moment of something special or a bit of a freak goal, which is ultimately how it was decided.”
O’Neill and a number of Northern Ireland players went to speak to referee Jesus Gil Manzano at the end of the match – unhappy that he had only added on two minutes of stoppage time during a spell in which Northern Ireland had Germany pegged back.
“I think he added three (minutes) in the first half,” O’Neill said. “I’m not sure how many substitutions there were, but to add two minutes I thought was ridiculous, to be honest.
“I’m not going to go into it but we weren’t happy with the referee’s performance on the night, let’s be honest. I thought he was over-fussy. (But) look, all the big decisions were right.”
O’Neill admitted Northern Ireland missed the suspended Conor Bradley and the outlet the Liverpool man would no doubt have offered down the right – and there was fresh frustration that Ethan Galbraith picked up a yellow card which rules him out of next month’s trip to Slovakia.
“I thought it was soft,” O’Neill said. “I’m surprised the ref didn’t book more the way he refereed the game, but that’s another matter.”
