Germany rebounded from a recent setback in World Cup qualifying with a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland, highlighted by a stunning free-kick from Florian Wirtz. The match, held in Cologne, saw Germany overcoming a sluggish performance to secure the win.

Coming off a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Slovakia, Germany, under coach Julian Nagelsmann, made several changes to the starting lineup. The initial pressure was on the home side, but Serge Gnabry's early goal in the seventh minute eased some of the tension. Gnabry chipped the ball over Northern Ireland goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell after Nick Woltemade dispossessed Eoin Toal and set him up.

However, Northern Ireland responded, and Isaac Price leveled the score in the 34th minute with a volley from a Justin Devenny corner. The first half concluded with some fans expressing their dissatisfaction with isolated boos and whistles directed at the German team.

Nagelsmann's tactical changes early in the second half proved effective, as the introduction of Maximilian Beier and Nadiem Amiri injected energy into the German attack. In the 69th minute, Beier's run confused the Northern Irish defense, allowing Amiri to score into an open net after Peacock-Farrell misjudged a pass from David Raum.

Three minutes later, Florian Wirtz sealed the victory with a perfectly executed free-kick from 20 yards out. Wirtz's strike, a knuckleball that sailed over the wall and in off the crossbar, not only secured the win but also marked his "lift-off" for the season. Wirtz was named Flashscore Man of the Match. He also led Germany in shots on target (2) and duels won (7).

While the win was crucial for Germany, the performance was not entirely convincing, especially against a Northern Ireland team with only a few players from top-flight European clubs. Nagelsmann acknowledged the fans' expectations and the need for improvement.

Germany's victory puts them level on points with Northern Ireland in Group A of World Cup qualifying. The win also prevented Germany from losing four international matches in a row for the first time since 1913.

For Northern Ireland, despite the loss, their hopes of reaching the World Cup remain intact, particularly with the expanded 48-team format for the upcoming finals.