Germany beat N Ireland to seal World Cup spot
Germany needed to avoid defeat to make sure of qualifying for Russia 2018
Defending champions Germany confirmed their qualification for next year's World Cup in Russia by beating Northern Ireland 3-1 in Belfast.
Sebastian Rudy shot into the top corner in the second minute, Sandro Wagner rifled home from the edge of the area, and Joshua Kimmich drove in late on.
Josh Magennis headed Northern Ireland's goal in stoppage time.
Germany progress as group winners but Northern Ireland remain well placed to make November's play-offs.
O'Neill confident NI can make play-offsWorld Cup - who needs what to qualify?
Michael O'Neill's men complete their Group C campaign in Norway on Sunday, aiming to finish among the best eight of the nine group runners-up.
They will follow results elsewhere over the next two days but, as it stands, they may need a point in Oslo to make sure of reaching the play-offs, the draw for which takes place on 17 October.
Of the eight teams, the highest four in the Fifa rankings which will be published on 16 October - Northern Ireland are currently 20th - will be seeded for the play-offs.
Northern Ireland's two defeats in nine Group C matches have been at the hands of GermanyNI still hoping to make history
Having won five successive qualifying games, Northern Ireland's defeat was their first in a competitive home match since they lost 4-2 to Portugal in September 2013.
In O'Neill's 50th game in charge, they failed to equal their record of six clean sheets in a row - set in 1986, the last time Northern Ireland qualified for the World Cup.
O'Neill's side are hoping to become the first NI team to compete in consecutive major tournaments.
Germany go into their final group game at home to Azerbaijan on Sunday, having extended their unbeaten run to 18 games since losing 2-0 to France in the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
The world champions retain their record of having never lost an away World Cup qualifying game, a run that spans 47 games from March 1934, and they have only ever lost two World Cup qualifier fixtures.
Dominant Germany's clinical finishing
It took less than two minutes for the visitors to edge in front as Rudy became the 20th Germany player to score in qualifying and the first to breach the hosts' defence in a competitive home game for two years.
Rudy's right-foot shot went flying past Michael McGovern after Kimmich rolled the ball to his Bayern Munich team-mate.
Joachim Low's side dominated possession, passed and moved with immense accuracy and speed, and produced some fine finishing as they increased their advantage through Wagner's fourth goal of the campaign on his fourth international appearance.
Charlton striker Josh Magennis scored Northern Ireland's goal with the last move of the match
The Hoffenheim striker turned on the edge of the box after collecting a pass from Thomas Muller and unleashed a thunderous shot from just outside the area past the despairing dive of McGovern.
Wagner had earlier gone close with a chested effort from a couple of yards out which was saved by McGovern, and a glancing header which cannoned off the post.
The Northern Ireland keeper made a fine save to deny Muller's header in the second half but could do nothing about Kimmich's late strike from inside the six-yard area, which flew inside his near post in added time.
O'Neill indicated before the game that he would adopt a cautious approach but the 3-5-2 formation he set out in the first half proved ineffective and he reverted to a more conventional 4-4-2 after the break as Stuart Dallas replaced Lee Hodson.
The home side produced little in attack during the opening 45 minutes, although Corry Evans forced Marc-Andre ter Stegen into an impressive stop.
In the second period, substitute Conor Washington hit the bar with a left-foot shot from close range when he should have scored, while Magennis' header in added time provided a consolation.
Line-upsMatch StatsLive TextLine-upsNorthern Ireland1McGovern6HodsonSubstituted forDallasat 45'minutes2McLaughlin4McAuley5Evans11Brunt13EvansSubstituted forSavilleat 80'minutes16Norwood8Davis21Magennis10LaffertySubstituted forWashingtonat 69'minutesSubstitutes3Ferguson7McGinn9Washington12Mannus14Dallas15Paton17Flanagan18Morris19Saville20Jones22Lund23CarrollGermany22ter Stegen18Kimmich17Boateng5Hummels3Plattenhardt21Rudy8Kroos19GoretzkaSubstituted forCanat 66'minutes13MüllerSubstituted forStindlat 83'minutes7DraxlerSubstituted forSanéat 72'minutes9WagnerSubstitutes1Trapp2Mustafi4Ginter6Süle10Stindl12Leno14Can15Younes16Rüdiger20Brandt23SanéReferee:Danny MakkelieMatch StatsHome TeamNorthern IrelandAway TeamGermanyPossessionHome26%Away74%ShotsHome8Away12Shots on TargetHome3Away6CornersHome4Away6FoulsHome6Away9Live TextPosted at
Match ends, Northern Ireland 1, Germany 3.
Full TimePosted at 90'+4'
Second Half ends, Northern Ireland 1, Germany 3.
Goal!Posted at 90'+3'
Goal! Northern Ireland 1, Germany 3. Josh Magennis (Northern Ireland) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Gareth McAuley with a headed pass following a corner.
Posted at 90'+2'
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Joshua Kimmich.
Posted at 88'
Foul by Mats Hummels (Germany).
Posted at 88'
Josh Magennis (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!Posted at 86'
Goal! Northern Ireland 0, Germany 3. Joshua Kimmich (Germany) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.
Posted at 85'
Foul by Leroy Sané (Germany).
Posted at 85'
Jonny Evans (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 84'
Attempt blocked. Toni Kroos (Germany) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
SubstitutionPosted at 83'
Substitution, Germany. Lars Stindl replaces Thomas Müller.
Posted at 83'
Corner, Germany. Conceded by George Saville.
Posted at 81'
Foul by Emre Can (Germany).
Posted at 81'
Stuart Dallas (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 81'
Attempt missed. Leroy Sané (Germany) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Sandro Wagner with a through ball.
SubstitutionPosted at 80'
Substitution, Northern Ireland. George Saville replaces Corry Evans.
Posted at 77'
Conor Washington (Northern Ireland) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the centre of the box. Assisted by Josh Magennis.
Posted at 74'
Foul by Sandro Wagner (Germany).
Posted at 74'
Oliver Norwood (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 72'
Substitution, Germany. Leroy Sané replaces Julian Draxler.
Posted at 71'
Attempt missed. Stuart Dallas (Northern Ireland) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
SubstitutionPosted at 69'
Substitution, Northern Ireland. Conor Washington replaces Kyle Lafferty.
Posted at 68'
Attempt missed. Toni Kroos (Germany) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Julian Draxler.
SubstitutionPosted at 66'
Substitution, Germany. Emre Can replaces Leon Goretzka.
Posted at 66'
Foul by Joshua Kimmich (Germany).
Posted at 66'
Chris Brunt (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 65'
Sandro Wagner (Germany) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 65'
Foul by Jonny Evans (Northern Ireland).
Posted at 62'
Corner, Germany. Conceded by Chris Brunt.
Posted at 59'
Foul by Thomas Müller (Germany).
Posted at 59'
Conor McLaughlin (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 58'
Foul by Sandro Wagner (Germany).
Posted at 58'
Jonny Evans (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 58'
Corner, Germany. Conceded by Conor McLaughlin.
Posted at 56'
Corner, Northern Ireland. Conceded by Mats Hummels.
Posted at 55'
Jérôme Boateng (Germany) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 55'
Foul by Kyle Lafferty (Northern Ireland).
Posted at 54'
Foul by Marvin Plattenhardt (Germany).
Posted at 54'
Josh Magennis (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 51'
Attempt saved. Mats Hummels (Germany) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Toni Kroos with a cross.
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Source: bbc.com
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