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Serge Gnabry hat-trick helps Germany thrash Northern Ireland 6-1

8 || risingbd.com

Published: 06:36, 20 November 2019   Update: 15:18, 26 July 2020
Serge Gnabry hat-trick helps Germany thrash Northern Ireland 6-1

Michael O’Neill admitted his worst fears were realised as a short-handed Northern Ireland were thrashed 6-1 by Germany in their final Euro 2020 qualifying Group C fixture.

With Jonny Evans out through illness and Jamal Lewis sidelined by a knee problem, Northern Ireland were missing vital Premier League experience at the back and found themselves overrun as Serge Gnabry scored a hat-trick.

Michael Smith’s first international goal had given Northern Ireland a shock seventh-minute lead but Gnabry levelled in the 19th minute and Leon Goretzka gave Germany the lead two minutes before the break.

Gnabry made it 3-1 just a minute into the second half as Germany ran riot with Goretzka adding a second before Julian Brandt’s strike in stoppage time.

“It was a tough night,” said O’Neill, whose side will face Bosnia and Herzegovina away from home in the semi-finals of the March play-offs.

“When you come into a game like this, when you’re missing players, at the back of your mind you fear this may happen and unfortunately it did.”

The gulf in class was apparent in every department, but most obviously in Gnabry who moved on to 13 goals in as many international games.

Dhaka/AKA
 

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