Nick Woltemade netted his first goal for Germany as they secured a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland, moving closer to automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
Julian Nagelsmann awarded the Newcastle United star his sixth international cap in Belfast yesterday, and Woltemade rose to the occasion with an impressive performance.
After previously having a goal disallowed in last week’s 4-0 victory against Luxembourg, Woltemade finally found the net by heading in a well-placed corner from David Raum just after the half-hour mark.
This came after Northern Ireland’s Dan Ballard had a goal disallowed for offside in the 14th minute.
While the hosts created more opportunities in the second half, they were unable to equalize, thanks to Oliver Baumann’s outstanding goalkeeping.
This latest win positions Germany on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup.
Woltemade’s Impressive Start
Woltemade has made an explosive start at Newcastle following his club-record £69 million transfer from Stuttgart this summer.
The 23-year-old has scored four goals in seven appearances for the Magpies, finding the back of the net in each of his last three matches against Arsenal, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Nottingham Forest.
Although he didn’t score against Luxembourg, he made his mark against Northern Ireland.
Newcastle fans will be eager to see Woltemade maintain his excellent form when the team faces Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this weekend.
Stats provided by Transfermarkt.