Key events
GOAL! Malta 1-2 Poland (Wszolek 59)
Another goal I can’t see, so did it really happen?
GOAL! Netherlands 4-0 Lithuania (Malen 62)
Lithuania win a corner and, for reasons best known to I don’t even know who, look to pick out a man on the edge. Instead, the Netherlands counter, one pass setting Malen away down the right with Simons inside. A sway takes him away from the only defender between him and goal and though he takes a heavy touch, the keeper can’t get out quickly enough and is soon beaten by a vicious shot, hissing and screeching high inside the near post. Three goals ion four minutes for Koeman’s boys.
GOAL! Netherlands 3-0 Lithuania (Simons 60)
Gakpo punhes a square pass into the box and Sions collects, carrying across the face of goal and feinting the feinting again to diddle a pair of defenders, before swivelling into a shot pulled inside the near post.
GOAL! Czechia 6-0 Gibraltar (Hranac 51)
I can’t see this one, but it’s his first for his country.
GOAL! Netherlands 2-0 Lithuania (Gakpo 58)
The keeper dives left and Gakpo passes right. I daresay Netherlands are through.
PENALTY TO NETHERLANDS
In Dam, De Ligt heads a free-kick back across, the ball tickles a defender’s finger, his arm out as he lands, and after checking VAR, the ref points to the spot. That is vey, very harsh.
Toni Kroos, what a player. And what a stroke of luck: he was meant to sign for Man United in the summer of 2014, only for David Moyes to get sacked and Louis van Gaal to decide he preferred Ander Herrera. Oooh, clever clever.
Tangentially, the precision of the touch-and-trap here.
We don’t see many of these these days, but Germany have a free-kick inside the Slovakia box, right of centre and 11 yards out. Raum taps to Kimmich who lays back for Sane, by which time 83 defenders are between ball and goal, blocking behind for a corner which comes to nowt.
“So I opened up this MBM and the first thing I read is an English commentator writing off the Germans’ chances of World Cup glory,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “The Congolese use voodoo (allegedly); the Germans use their English naysayers.”
I don’t support England, though, and I’d be amazed if Germany win the World Cup. They’d need a lot of help from the draw.
Malen goes around the outside, crosses low, and narrowly avoid picking out Depay.
Germany send on Nmecha for Pavlovic, who played nicely.
And away again in Belfast.
We’re away again in Dam.
Our teams are returning…
Who might Northern Ireland meet in the playoffs? Italy, Turkey, Denmark, Germany, Ukraine, Poland are the potentials, but Germany, of courser, are almost through as group winners, while Denmark will be if they avoid defeat against Scotland.
Half-time reading:
Germany have played really well tonight, Slovakia less so. They’ve dominated midfield and been good getting bodies around Woltemade, but the visitors have been so open.
Half-time scores
Germany 4-0 Slovakia
Northern Ireland 1-0 Luxembourg
Malta 1-1 Poland
Netherlands 1-0 Lithuania
Czechia 5-0 Gibraltar
Montenegro 2-1 Croatia
GOAL! Czechia 5-0 Gibraltar (Soucek 44)
A cross from inside the box, a diving header, and a typical Soucek goal.
GOAL! Northern Ireland 1-0 Luxembourg (Donley pen 44)
Donley opens body and passes, left-footed, into the bottom-left. That’s the 20-year-old’s first goal for his country.
PENALTY AT WINDSOR PARK!
Martins tries to clear, boots Brown’s studs at the same time, and after a VAR check the ref points to the spot.
GOAL! Germany 4-0 Slovakia (Sané 41)
Woltemade and Wirtz gang up to win the ball down the left, Wirtz measures a lovely ball to the far post, and Sane leaps to make sure he can finish with his left foot, powering into the net.
GOAL! Czechia 4-0 Gibraltar (Karabec 39)
A lovely ball out to the right, a cross and a finish.
GOALS! Malta 1-1 Poland (Lewandowski 32, Cardona 36)
A free-kick into the box and a header; a pick-out at the back post, a keeper diving at feet, a bobble, and a tap-in.
GOAL! Montenegro 2-1 Croatia (Perisic pen 37)
Croatia are still going to be picking their golden generation in 2096.
GOAL! Germany 3-0 Slovakia (Sane 36)
There he is! Wirtz turns to clip a gorgeous pass over the Slovakia defence and into the path of Sane, who takes a terrific touch to deliver ball into stride before slipping into the far corner.
GOAL! Czechia 3-0 Gibraltar (Coufal 32)
Coufal runs away from a free-kick out on the right, the ball goes to the front post and when it’s knocked back to the edge, he’s there to drive low into the near corner. That’s very nicely planned and executed.
Germany have dominated Slovakia so even if Duric had scored, it seems unlikely it would’ve altered the result – the class difference is too pronounced.
Back in Amsterdam, Reijnders charges forward has men either side … and opts to shoot, his trivela hitting the far post, two-thirds of the way up.
GOAL! Germany 2-0 Slovakia (Gnabry 29)
This is so simple. A ball into Goretzka, who slides between two defenders into the box, and Gnabry easily rolls into the bottom right. Germany are going to the World Cup! Who knew?!
Luxembourg counter in Belfast and Sinani drills fresh air right into the corner, then Olesen sweeps wide from 20 yards.
