Belfast (AFP)

Reversed by the Netherlands in Hamburg on Friday (4-2), Germany was a little reassured by beating Ireland 2-1 in Belfast, which she joined at the top of Group C qualifying for Euro-2020 with 12 points.

The Dutch have won easily (4-0) in Estonia and have 9 units, but with one game less than the Mannschaft and Northern Ireland.

It took a flash of his left-back Marcel Halstenberg - a powerful left-wing volley in the opposite corner on a fleeing center - to put Germany on the path to a valuable success in the Euro qualifying race ( 1-0, 48e).

A logical victory against generous Greens and supported by the boiling and festive public of Windsor Park, but too clumsy.

Coach Michael O'Neill had identified Germany's rejuvenated defense as his main weak point and his players focused on putting a lot of pressure into the recovery phase ashore.

In the seventh minute, a dangerous pass to the Toni Kroos axis, cornered along the sidelines, was thus diverted to Conor Washington, but the Hearts of Midlothian forward, not very agile, saw Manuel Neuer go out and close his angle of fire the time he is hitting his shot.

- Germany accelerates in the second half -

Similarly, at the very end of the first act, Washington was not quick enough to pick up a tense center from Stuart Dallas in front of goal.

After 20 minutes under pressure, Germany has gradually set foot on the ball, although its approaches have remained laborious.

Timo Werner created two close chances (27th, 45th + 1), but he especially shone the young Irish goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell (22 years), who pushed the deadline again on an attempt by Lukas Klostermann (46th).

After the locker room, however, Joachim Löw's men accelerated and were quickly rewarded for their technical superiority.

The missed break chances by Klostermann (51st), Serge Gnabry (52), Marco Reuss on free-kick (56), or Kai Havertz, of the lead (69), left Germany within reach of a feat. Irish.

But Gnabry ended up not killing any suspense on a counter at the entrance in injury time (2-0, 90th + 1).

Mid-October, Germany will have to win in Estonia to increase its chances of qualifying, before receiving Belarus and Ireland in November to close its course in these qualifiers.

© 2019 AFP