A year before they went on to win their third World Cup in Italy, Franz Beckenbauer brought his side to Dublin. Jack’s Army held the West Germans to a 1-1 draw as Hans Dorfner equalised with a strike from distance on 33 minutes after Frank Stapleton’s early opener.
Having qualified for their third major tournament under Charlton, Ireland travelled to Hannover for a warm-up game ahead of USA ’94. And, incredibly, goals from Big Cas and a 19-year-old Gary Kelly either side of half time sealed victory in the Niedersachsenstadion.
Matty Holland had earned Ireland a draw against Cameroon in their opening World Cup 2002 fixture but next up was the mighty Germans. Miroslav Klose headed past Shay Given to take his tally to four but Ireland pushed for a goal in the second half and went close through Damien Duff and Holland.
Deep into injury time, they got their just reward – Robbie Keane latched onto a trademark Niall Quinn flick and blasted the ball just inside Oliver Kahn’s near post. A truly great moment in Irish football.
In Steve Staunton’s first competitive game as Ireland manager, they suffered a cruel defeat in Stuttgart. An encouraging performance was spoiled when, on 56 minutes, Lukas Podolski’s free-kick was deflected off the heel of Robbie Keane and into the back of the net.
Thirteen months on, Stan was still in a job despite a humiliating defeat to Cyprus and narrow win over minnows San Marino. Germany only needed a point to secure their place at the finals in South Africa, while anything other than a win would mean a lengthy summer off for the Irish players. Mario Gomez was close to scoring early on and Steve Finnan cleared from a Christoph Metzelder header while Keane got his attempted chip all wrong after beating the offside trap.
For 32 minutes last October Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland held Germany scoreless, but once Marco Reus scored, the floodgates were well and truly opened.
Reus got another before the break and in the second half, Mesut Ozil, Miroslav Klose and Toni Kroos (2) got in on the act to condemn Ireland to a record home defeat.
Germany v Ireland: 6 past meetings
Ireland 1 West Germany 1 – International friendly, Lansdowne Road, September 6, 1989
YouTube credit: sp1873
A year before they went on to win their third World Cup in Italy, Franz Beckenbauer brought his side to Dublin. Jack’s Army held the West Germans to a 1-1 draw as Hans Dorfner equalised with a strike from distance on 33 minutes after Frank Stapleton’s early opener.
Ireland: Bonner, McCarthy, McGrath, Morris, O’Leary, Staunton, Brady (Townsend 36), Tony Galvin, Whelan, Aldridge (Byrne 75), Stapleton (Cascarino 75).
West Germany: Illgner (Aumann 46), Augenthaler, Buchwald (Reinhardt), Pflügler, Reuter, Dorfner (Fach), Häßler, Littbarski, Möller, Thon, Wohlfarth.
Germany 0 Ireland 2 – International friendly, Niedersachsenstadion, Hannover, May 29, 1994
YouTube credit: rooney2cantona
Having qualified for their third major tournament under Charlton, Ireland travelled to Hannover for a warm-up game ahead of USA ’94. And, incredibly, goals from Big Cas and a 19-year-old Gary Kelly either side of half time sealed victory in the Niedersachsenstadion.
Germany: Illgner, Matthäus, Kohler (Häßler 46), Strunz, Basler, Buchwald (Berthold 36), Sammer, Wagner, A Möller (Effenberg 46), Riedle (Völler 76), Klinsmann.
Ireland: A Kelly, Irwin (G Kelly 46), McGrath, Babb, Phelan, McAteer (Houghton 86), Sheridan (Whelan 46), Townsend, Keane, Staunton, Cascarino (Coyne 70).
Ireland 1 Germany 1 – World Cup group stages, Kashima Stadium, Ibaraki, June 5, 2002
YouTube credit: rooney2cantona
Matty Holland had earned Ireland a draw against Cameroon in their opening World Cup 2002 fixture but next up was the mighty Germans. Miroslav Klose headed past Shay Given to take his tally to four but Ireland pushed for a goal in the second half and went close through Damien Duff and Holland.
Deep into injury time, they got their just reward – Robbie Keane latched onto a trademark Niall Quinn flick and blasted the ball just inside Oliver Kahn’s near post. A truly great moment in Irish football.
Ireland: Given, Finnan, Breen, Staunton (Cunningham 87), Harte (Reid 73), Kelly (Quinn 73), Holland, Kinsella, Kilbane, Keane, Duff.
Germany: Kahn, Linke, Ramelow, Metzelder, Frings, Hamann, Ballack, Schneider (Jeremies 90), Ziege, Jancker (Bierhoff 75), Klose (Bode 85).
Germany 1 Ireland 0 – European Championship qualifier, Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, September 2, 2006
YouTube credit: LAENDERSPIELE
In Steve Staunton’s first competitive game as Ireland manager, they suffered a cruel defeat in Stuttgart. An encouraging performance was spoiled when, on 56 minutes, Lukas Podolski’s free-kick was deflected off the heel of Robbie Keane and into the back of the net.
Germany: Lehmann, Lahm, Friedrich, Manuel Friedrich, Jansen, Schneider (Borowski 83), Frings, Ballack, Schweinsteiger, Podolski (Neuville 76), Klose.
Ireland: Given, Carr, A O’Brien, Dunne, Kilbane (Alan O’Brien 83), Finnan, Reid, O’Shea, Duff (McGeady 77), Doyle (Elliott 79), Keane.
Ireland 0 Germany 0 – European Championship qualifier, Croke Park, October 13, 2007
YouTube credit: sp1873
Thirteen months on, Stan was still in a job despite a humiliating defeat to Cyprus and narrow win over minnows San Marino. Germany only needed a point to secure their place at the finals in South Africa, while anything other than a win would mean a lengthy summer off for the Irish players. Mario Gomez was close to scoring early on and Steve Finnan cleared from a Christoph Metzelder header while Keane got his attempted chip all wrong after beating the offside trap.
Ireland: Given, Finnan, Kelly, J O’Brien, Dunne, Carsley, Reid, Keogh (McGeady 80), Doyle (Long 70), Keane, Kilbane (Murphy 92).
Germany: Lehmann, Arne Friedrich, Fritz, Jansen, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Frings, Schweinsteiger (Rolfes 18), Trochowski (Castro 90), Gomez (Podolski 64), Kuranyi.
Ireland 1 Germany 6 – World Cup qualifier, Aviva Stadium, October 12, 2012
YouTube credit: goalsaim
For 32 minutes last October Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland held Germany scoreless, but once Marco Reus scored, the floodgates were well and truly opened.
Reus got another before the break and in the second half, Mesut Ozil, Miroslav Klose and Toni Kroos (2) got in on the act to condemn Ireland to a record home defeat.
Ireland: Westwood, Coleman, Ward, O’Shea, O’Dea, McCarthy, McGeady (Keogh 69), Andrews, Fahey (Long 51), Cox (Brady 84), Walters.
Germany: Neuer, Schmelzer, Badstuber, Mertesacker, Boateng, Khedira (Kroos 45), Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Mueller, Reus (Podolski 66), Klose (Schurrle 72).
– A version of this article first appeared here on 12 October 2012.
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The missing men: 8 German stars Ireland don’t have to face
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