Northern Ireland 0
Germany 1 (Gomez 29’)
It was an eventful evening, to say the least. It was September 1, 2008, the day Manchester City’s identity was transformed. In the dying hours of the transfer window, a club suddenly anticipating a takeover and vast investment from Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, were desperately trying to make a marquee signing.
Dimitar Berbatov rejected them to join Manchester United. Robinho became the British record buy. The third man on the shortlist, the one who was almost the poster boy for a new regime, was Mario Gomez.
Eight years on and in a career that has produced almost 300 goals, there is the sense he remains a nearly man. He was in international exile when Germany won the 2014 World Cup. He was a fringe player who was confined to a few seconds on the pitch in Bayern Munich’s 2013 Uefa Champions League win. Gomez spent much of Euro 2008 missing chances. He finished the joint-top scorer in Euro 2012, but the Golden Boot was devalued as no one struck more than three times.
He was the anomaly in the German golden generation, if not the misfit, once at Bayern, now at Besiktas. Now the outsider may be pivotal. Gomez started Euro 2016 as a substitute. His first start produced the only goal against Northern Ireland. Germany progress as Group C winners, able to testify to the benefits of trading a false nine for a genuine No 9, after moving Mario Gotze to the left and bringing in Gomez. His was a centre-forward's goal, a predatory finish from close range.
See also:
• Report: Mario Gomez goal holds up as Germany edge past Northern Ireland and win Group C
• Gallery: Germany's Mario Gomez scores lone goal but world champions dominate Northern Ireland
He should have had a second when found utterly unmarked by Mesut Ozil, but scuffed his shot. Off balance, he headed wide when Michael McGovern parried Sami Khedira’s shot to him. A second header was repelled wonderfully by the goalkeeper. Gomez was prolific for Besiktas last season. This could be deemed a case of profligacy.
But history may repeat itself. Germany found their finest formula in the World Cup when they belatedly started with a specialist striker, in Miroslav Klose. Having an out-and-out attacker again enabled a side who were sterile against Poland to stretch the Northern Irish defence. The midfield runners were then liberated to wreak havoc with their movement. They lacked the ruthlessness of stereotype, but they were at least creative.
Yet the finishing touch is the hardest. On course to become the record scorer in World Cup history, Thomas Muller has found European Championship goals strangely elusive. This was his eighth game and his account remains unopened. He has rarely come closer. He hit the post with a diving header. He struck the bar with a rising shot. He was twice denied by McGovern. He compensated with an assist, teeing up Gomez but he remains in a select group with Gary Lineker, another who found the net 10 times in World Cups but never in continental finals.
With Ozil excelling, Germany had 79 per cent of possession. They used it intelligently, with Joshua Kimmich a welcome addition as an overlapping right-back. Their team were the more positive, their opponents’ supporters the more raucous.
In between chanting the tournament's unofficial anthem Will Grigg's On Fire, the Northern Ireland fans chorused "it's just like watching Brazil". Germany famously beat Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup. There could have been a similar scoreline but for one man, the magnificent McGovern. He ensured Michael O'Neill's side conceded six fewer goals to the rampant Germans than the five-time world champions.
There have been few early goals this tournament. There would have been a flurry at the Parc des Princes, but McGovern, who made four saves in as many first-half minutes. A quite brilliant block to deny Gotze followed. McGovern is a free agent this summer, out of contract at Hamilton. He may have to brace himself for offers from Bundesliga clubs. His immediate future is also uncertain: he left the pitch unsure if his heroics have clinched Northern Ireland a place in the last 16.
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