Germany, Poland qualify for Euro 2016; Ireland into playoffs

World champions Germany successfully reached Euro 2016 as the final round of qualifying matches continued on Sunday.

Ireland is “fighting strongly” to make it to the Euro 2016 finals in France next year despite being consigned to the playoff route after their 2-1 defeat by Poland in Warsaw in their final qualifier, manager Martin O’Neill said.

Thomas Muller opened the scoring from the penalty spot and after losing a shock goal, Max Kruse restored Germany’s lead to see them progress easily.

“We’ve lost two games in the group, we’ve got to take positives, got to look back at what we’ve done. We deserved to advance, we were the better team and played a good qualifying round”, he told Polsat TV.

“That is not our standard, there is still much work ahead of us”.

“There still was a chance for us to get there tonight without a playoff, but it was a tough game and tough to ask for the same intensity that we had the previous night against Germany”.

“If we win that, we’re at the Euros, so that’s our main goal”.

“We are there and whoever we draw, we will be ready for the game”.

Robert Lewandowski scored the game-winner in the 41st minute after Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak and Irish midfielderJonathan Walters traded goals in the opening 16 minutes.

Despite the defeat and the suspensions skipper Robbie Keane remains optimistic: “We’ve been successful in past playoffs”.

“We know that is not what we demand from ourselves”.

“But still, we have not said the last word”.

“We have a big month now in November and we have to get going again”.

Albania also qualified as runners-up in Group I, beating Armenia 3-0 to advance to their first major tournament.

Albania came into the match knowing that three points would guarantee them a second-placed finish behind Portugal in Group I and that is exactly what they managed to take home with them.

The Poles saw an 18th-minute Pawel Olkowski strike correctly ruled out for offside as the home side redoubled their efforts, and although the Republic defended stubbornly, they eventually succumbed three minutes before the break.

The Poland captain’s powerful header just before half-time against the Republic of Ireland took him to 13 in Group D, level with the former Northern Ireland striker’s tally set back in qualification for EURO 2008.

“Just to say that I have played in this campaign, played my part and started games and I can talk about this for the rest of my life, saying I was part of the squad that is taking us to France and it’s unbelievable”.