Regardless of the loss, and his frustration, O’Neill nonetheless had time for a joke with a member of the German media.
“Having regarded on the stats, mockingly Germany performed extra lengthy balls than us within the recreation,” he mentioned.
For his half, Julian Nagelsmann, whose feedback after the reverse fixture in Cologne prompted O’Neill’s quip, was relieved to get via a “powerful” recreation.
“The second half was all about defending,” Nagelsmann advised BBC Sport.
“As I mentioned earlier than the sport it was a extremely powerful opponent, quite a lot of lengthy balls they usually struggle and we needed to struggle as properly.
“It was a great step in the appropriate path to beat a group like Northern Eire and to struggle for second balls and be as powerful because the opponent.”
High spot in Group A is now a protracted shot given Germany have put their grasp on computerized qualification.
However second place and a assured play-off remains to be on the playing cards forward of November’s two qualifiers in Slovakia and residential to backside facet Luxembourg.
It is probably not a lot comfort now, however a play-off as considered one of 4 Nations League group winners appears to be a safer fall again given different outcomes throughout Europe, if Northern Eire have been to overlook out on the highest two.
So, after battling however falling quick towards considered one of Europe’s giants, this younger Northern Eire facet could also be down, however they’re positively not out.
