Germany vs. Republic of Ireland: Winners and Losers from Euro 2016 Qualifier
John O’Shea, on the occasion of his 100th international appearance, scored a last-gasp equaliser as the Republic of Ireland fought back to earn a 1-1 draw with Germany in Gelsenkirchen.
Toni Kroos had finally broken through for the hosts in the 71st minute, but despite going ahead it was clear the world champions were once again struggling for incisiveness in the final third—just as they did in Warsaw on Saturday, when they lost 2-0 to Poland.
The result leaves Ireland joint-top of Group D with Poland after three matches, while Germany, in third place, are three points behind and level with Scotland.
Following are some of the winners and losers from Tuesday’s match.
Winner: John O’Shea, Who Was the Hero for Ireland
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John O’Shea had scored only twice for his country coming into Tuesday’s match, and he won’t have anticipated his third could have been as monumental as it ended up being.
In the fourth and final minute of second-half stoppage time, the 33-year-old managed to bundle the ball into the back of the net following a Wes Hoolahan cross.
It was the only shot on goal the Republic would generate on the night, but at the final whistle—which came just moments after the goal—it was enough for a memorable draw.
Loser: Karim Bellarabi, Who Was a Shadow of the Player Who Debuted vs. Poland
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Although Germany lost 2-0 in Poland on Saturday, international debutante Karim Bellarabi was a rare bright spot for the world champions.
Operating mostly from the left, he had at least four chances to score in Warsaw and will have no doubt anticipated a similarly bright performance on Tuesday.
But against the Republic of Ireland the Bayer Leverkusen attacker was a shadow of the player he had been just three days prior.
He managed only a single shot on target before his withdrawal in the 86th minute.
Winner: Toni Kroos, Who Scored His 8th Goal for Germany
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Toni Kroos loves a game against the Republic of Ireland.
Back in October 2012, the then-Bayern Munich midfielder scored twice in Germany’s 6-1 win at Aviva Stadium.
On Tuesday, the now-Real Madrid maestro scored his first international goal since the World Cup semi-final against Brazil, when his drive from distance hit goalkeeper David Forde’s right post before crossing the line at the left.
Winner: David Forde, Who Made Some Key Saves in the 2nd Half
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Germany were frustrated after a first half in which they failed to score a goal and came into the second period with renewed energy.
Moments after Karim Bellarabi’s shot was blocked by the Irish defense, the Bayer Leverkusen attacker drew a good save out of Republic of Ireland goalkeeper David Forde, who then denied Toni Kroos just two minutes later.
Overall, Forde made seven saves over the 90 minutes and made an important contribution to his side’s momentous draw in Gelsenkirchen.
Loser: Thomas Muller, Who Again Could Only Fire Blanks
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At 25 years of age and coming off a World Cup in which he scored five goals, Thomas Muller has an impeccable international scoring record.
But he struggled to do much of anything against Poland on Saturday, and his difficulties continued into Tuesday’s match at home to Republic of Ireland.
Despite playing the full 90 minutes the Bayern Munich forward failed to place a single shot on target, and only 32 of his 45 attempted passes were completed—good for a subpar efficiency rate of 71 percent, according to WhoScored.com.
Winner: Stephen Quinn, Whose All-Around Contribution Was Vital
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Stephen Quinn’s performance in Gelsenkirchen might have gone mostly unnoticed, but the Republic of Ireland wouldn’t have been in a position to equalise without his efforts on the defensive side of the ball.
Over his 76 minutes the Hull City midfielder won all of his aerial battles, completed nearly 80 percent of his passes, per WhoScored.com, and was never afraid of using his body to block a shot.
His commitment to the cause helped limit the damage while Germany were firmly on the front foot.
