World Cup Qualifying: Germany Shocked In Slovakia, But Northern Irish Enjoy Win

Four-time world champions Germany suffered their first distant nonaccomplishment successful a World Cup qualifier aft their daze 2-0 conclusion by hosts Slovakia successful Bratislava connected Thursday successful Group A.

The Germans, who person group a extremity of winning nan 2026 World Cup, had ne'er earlier mislaid a World Cup qualifier connected nan roadworthy successful 52 matches, and they person now mislaid their past 3 consecutive games, aft defeats by Portugal and France successful nan Nations League successful June.

They recovered themselves connected nan backmost ft pinch nan Slovaks missing a aureate chance successful nan opening seconds done Lubomir Satka. Germany keeper Oliver Baumann past denied Leo Sauer pinch a superb prevention successful nan 21st minute.

Slovakia’s attacking play paid disconnected successful nan 42nd infinitesimal erstwhile Germany’s Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz mislaid possession and nan hosts collapsed quickly pinch David Hancko scoring pinch a good finish.

Toothless successful nan first half, Germany looked much fierce aft nan break, but Slovakia struck against nan tally of play, pinch Middlesbrough’s David Strelec sending defender Antonio Rüdiger nan incorrect measurement earlier curling a changeable past Baumann successful nan 55th minute.

The Germans, who were eliminated successful nan first information of nan erstwhile 2 World Cups, were incapable to equine a superior comeback, lacking immoderate ideas and punch up beforehand contempt caller Newcastle signing Nick Woltemade playing nan full game.

On Sunday, Germany big Northern Ireland, who battled to a 3-1 triumph distant against 10-man Luxembourg. Jamie Reid gave nan visitors an early lead erstwhile he slotted successful aft Isaac Price’s punishment had been saved, but Augsburg winger Aiman Dardari equalised connected nan half hr for his first elder world goal.

Shea Charles celebrates scoring Northern Ireland’s 2nd extremity pinch chap scorer Justin Devenny. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters

Shea Charles struck consecutive aft nan break earlier Luxembourg defender Seid Korac was sent disconnected conscionable aft nan hr for a 2nd caution. Crystal Palace midfielder Justin Devenny past wrapped things up pinch 20 minutes left.

European champions Spain coasted to a 3-0 triumph successful their Group E opener distant to Bulgaria. La Roja took an early lead to dampen a partisan capacity location crowd astatine nan Vasil Levski National Stadium erstwhile Mikel Oyarzabal struck aft conscionable 5 minutes.

Chelsea wing-back Marc Cucurella drilled location a 2nd connected nan half hr earlier Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino headed successful a 3rd from a area to put nan Nations League runners-up successful control.

Poland’s Aston Villa full-back Matty Cash fired location a precocious equaliser to guarantee his broadside held nan Netherlands to a 1-1 tie successful Rotterdam, a awesome boost to their hopes and a dent to Dutch ambitions.

A thunderous right-footed changeable from nan English-born defender successful nan 80th infinitesimal was arsenic overmuch arsenic Poland deserved aft a beardown second-half performance, having been a extremity down astatine half-time.

The Netherlands and Poland now stock apical spot successful Group G pinch 7 points each, though nan Dutch person played 1 crippled fewer. Coach Ronald Koeman had identified Poland arsenic nan cardinal squad to hit successful nan group, and his broadside looked connected people to do truthful aft Denzel Dumfries put them up successful nan 28th minute.

Belgium thrashed Liechtenstein 6-0 to make it 2 wins from their 3 games truthful far. Maxim De Cuyper’s header group Belgium connected their measurement successful nan first half. Youri Tielemans scored doubly aft nan break while Arthur Theate, Kevin De Bruyne and Malick Fofana were besides connected target.

Turkey won 3-2 successful Georgia, wherever they vanished pinch 10 men. Mert Muldur’s header gave nan visitors a third-minute lead, pinch Kerem Akturkoglu past striking either broadside of nan break. Zuriko Davitashvili pulled a extremity backmost conscionable aft nan hr earlier tempers flared successful nan 71st minute.

Turkey substitute Baris Alper Yilmaz was shown a reddish paper for a precocious situation connected Giorgi Kochorashvili, pinch Georgia head Willy Sangol past sent from nan dugout for his protests. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia struck a precocious 2nd for Georgia heavy into added time.