Overview

• Nick Woltemade’s 31st-minute shoulder finish delivered his first senior Germany goal and the winner in Belfast.
• Oliver Baumann preserved the lead with multiple late saves, as Germany again leaned on set pieces and defensive resilience.
• The result keeps Germany top of Group A on nine points with qualification in their hands before Luxembourg on Nov. 14 and Slovakia in Leipzig on Nov. 17.
• Julian Nagelsmann prioritized the result over aesthetics and called talk of a Manuel Neuer return “not useful,” backing Baumann while Marc-André ter Stegen is injured.
• Ilkay Gündogan publicly defended Florian Wirtz, citing Opta data on chance creation, while international outlets described the performance as workmanlike.