Thursday night’s 2-0 win over Ukraine in Lyon means Michael O’Neill’s side will definitely qualify for the last 16 in their first European Championship if they can defeat Joachim Low’s team in Paris.
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The Ajax front man scored Poland’s victor in their opening 1-0 win over Northern Ireland and missed the best chance of the match when he skewed wide early in the second-half. The manager also introduced Josh Magennis as a late substitute instead of Lafferty because, he said, the Kilmarnock striker was “probably a better marker at set pieces”.
Manchester United product Norwood, who made 90 Town appearances before a £1.2m transfer to Reading in August 2014, has started both Northern Ireland games in France. “The problem was we did not play our game coming from deep, we did not do our runs down the pitch”. I still have to work my socks off in training to have a chance of playing.
Now that every side has played two matches at Euro 2016, I feel that I have seen enough to make my initial judgements on the tournament. “I couldn’t find him, but hopefully he’s watching”.
Germany, though, are not assured of top spot in the group following a goalless draw against Poland last time out and Die Mannschaft will be determined to pick up all three points from their meeting with O’Neill’s men.
“I don’t think any of the lads who started deserve to be dropped”.
– The last time Germany failed to make it out of the group stages of a major tournament was at Euro 2004.
“We’re full of confidence, and even after the Poland game, even though we were a bit down, we knew we could turn things around”.
The Albion stopper said: “I’m so proud of the players and coaching staff”.
“I tried to get on to Richard Branson but it seems not to be happening”, he said.
He joked Peter Crouch’s robot dance could be next on his list, adding: “I could see it coming all the way and I thought to myself, ‘goal, don’t miss!'” At the moment it is very hard to put the emotions into words.
“But I’ve never felt an experience in a changing room like that after the Ukraine game, with such a brotherhood of team-mates”.
Jonny Evans said he cried when he celebrated with his brother Corry after the final whistle.
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During the same match, fans paid tribute to Mr Rodgers, the 24-year-old Northern Ireland supporter who died earlier this week, by clapping at the 24th minute of the game.
