Woltemade gets first Germany goal for 1-0 winner in Northern Ireland

Nick Woltemade scored his first national team goal as Germany claimed an important 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory in Northern Ireland on Monday to remain top in their group.

Striker Woltemade scored in the 31st minute off a corner kick via an attempted header in which the ball went in off his shoulder.

Woltemade recorded four goals for his new club Newcastle United this season, and now finally broke his Germany duck in his sixth cap.

Germany stay first in Group A with a third straight victory following an opening surprise defeat in Slovakia. They are ahead on goal difference over Slovakia, who beat Luxembourg 2-0 in the day's other game.

Northern Ireland are three points back after their first home defeat in two years despite a big fight. Only the group winner qualifies directly, with the final two matchdays in November.

Happy Woltemade

"It was very important for me personally. I wasn't really fortunate in my first games. It was somewhat fitting the ball came off the shoulder, but it went in," Woltemade told broadcasters RTL.

Coach Julian Nagelsmann said: "It was a dirty 1-0 and three points. It wasn't a super nice game from our team but the players took up the fight and the atmosphere. We didn't create enough chances from open play."

Northern Ireland captain Trai Hume told the BBC: "The atmosphere is brilliant as always and we are just disappointed we couldn't get points."

Unchanged Germany

Nagelsmann fielded the same starting 11 as in Friday's 4-0 victory over Luxembourg, with captain Joshua Kimmich playing right back again instead of in midfield like in the September matches.

Counterpart Michael O'Neill was without his suspended right back Conor Bradley at Windsor Park in his 100th match in charge.

Hosts offside before Woltemade strikes

Northern Ireland beat Slovakia 2-0 on Friday, and they defended deep from the kick-off on Monday, giving Germany no opening in the penalty area.

The ball was suddenly in Germany's net in a 14th-minute in a scramble on the hosts' first attack but Paddy McNair was just offside before his shot was saved by Oliver Baumann and Dan Ballard netted on the rebound.

Aleksandar Pavlovic fired over in the 19th for the Germans, who then won several corners. One of them from David Raum was converted by the towing Woltemade into the far left corner for Germany's fifth set piece goal from their eight in the campaign until then.

"We have worked hard on set pieces and they makes us more unpredictable," Woltemade said.

Hosts try to hit back, big miss for Adeyemi

Northern Ireland could have levelled in the 43rd but Jamie Reid miscued from a promising position after a determined run by Ethan Galbraith past two defenders. Ali McCann blazed just inches right on the last play of the half.

Germany should have been two up in the 47th but Karim Adeyemi incredibly fired wide left with only goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell to beat after being fed superbly by Florian Wirtz.

But urged on by the fans, the hosts showed plenty of life, with Shea Charles denied by Baumann, and the keeper then also pushing a low drive from Galbraith around the post a minute later.

Serge Gnabry forced Peacock-Farrell to a big save at the other end. But Northern Ireland fought hard until the end, and Baumann had to be at his best one more time against Callum Marshall in the 88th.