Northern Ireland fan dies during Euro 2016 win over Ukraine

Germany are a fantastic team.

Poland held uninspired Germany to the first 0-0 draw of Euro 2016 Thursday as the World Champions struggled to break down their dogged opponents, leaving both sides satisfied with a point in the end.

“We didn’t take the game to our opponents, we weren’t risky enough and we have to improve that or we won’t get far”, he told ZDF.

However, defeat by Germany at the Parc des Princes would leave O’Neill’s men depending on results in other groups going in their favour. That might have sounded like a formality before the tournament begun, but it does not now, two rounds in.

Northern Ireland earned their first win of the tournament yesterday beating Ukraine 2-0. “I just think the Ukrainians didn’t really know what to do after that”.

Joachim Loew’s side made by far the better start as Mario Goetze headed just over from Julian Draxler’s cross, whilst Toni Kroos also failed to hit the target as he burst into the box. “It helps us so much and I can’t speak highly enough of him”.

“Lots of people said we wouldn’t get a point here and we’ve now got three”, said man-of-the-match McAuley, 36, who became the second oldest player to score in the Euro finals after Austria’s Ivica Vastic. “We didn’t have that speed and that fantasy to score a goal”. Instead, his hunger for goals (five Poland games now) remained unsatisfied against the pace and physicality of Bayern team-mates Jrme Boateng and Mats Hummels.

All teams have off-days, but this felt like the type of performance that – no ideas, no speed, no fantasy – that could have been foreseen. We thought we’d let ourselves down [against Poland], just with the intensity we played at, but we’ve put it right. Two Group D matches then follow: Czech Republic against Croatia, and defending champion Spain taking on Turkey.

Then there is the cost of success.

“These players are heroes after doing what they’ve done and deservedly so”. We’ve got a tough game to look forward to now, and we’ve got something to play for.

Kyle Lafferty has demonstrated the unity within Northern Ireland’s squad by praising Michael O’Neill for a “superb” team selection against Ukraine and insisting it should be retained for the group finale with Germany.

“We had this even before the World Cup and afterwards, it has been especially so”, Schurrle explained. Oliver Norwood finely floated a free kick into the Ukrainian box which Gareth McAuley powerfully headed home to score his country’s first goal at a major global finals since Colin Clarke scored against Spain at the 1986 World Cup and become the second oldest player to ever score at a European Championship finals.