Paddy McNair frustrated by ‘missed opportunity’ but all is not lost for Northern Ireland

Paddy McNair says Northern Ireland have to focus on getting a result against Slovakia after Germany disappointment

Paddy McNair couldn’t help but feel it was one that got away after Germany escaped from Windsor Park with a 1-0 win.

Nick Woltemade’s first half header won the game for the visitors but they were made to fight all the way for the points against an impressive Northern Ireland side.

McNair cut a frustrated figure at the end as he felt the hosts missed a great opportunity to claim a famous result against the Germans, but he insists all is not lost just yet.

“Exactly that. Germany are obviously a good side, but I feel like they’re not the Germany of six years ago,” he said. “I definitely feel like they were there to be got at, we’ve just missed a few chances.

“I’ve played against Germany a lot of times now and I just can’t seem to beat them.

“We just have to go to Slovakia and try and win that and see where it takes us. You just never know what can happen.

“We definitely grew into the game and we had a lot of chances out there. I felt like we had more chances than them.

“I know they had the one just after half-time we probably got away with, but you could say that was their only real clear-cut chance of the game.

“Ethan has had a couple of efforts, and the ball was more in and around their box in the second period.

“I think credit to them as well. In the first half, they did start the game well. It was hard to get the ball and grow into it. To be fair to them, it was hard to press them. They’re very good players.

“I think in the first half, we didn’t play as well as we would have liked, but I think you have to say, fair play to them too. They did play well. In the second half, we started to pick up those second balls and started to drive forward.”

McNair was also less than impressed with the performance of the match officials with only two minutes of additional time added on at the end as well as a possible penalty on Josh Magennis ruled out at the death.

“Sometimes it’s hard to see when you’re actually on the pitch, but it just felt like when I came off there the last ten minutes, that’s when I really saw it,” he said.

“I just felt like the ref never let the game flow and two minutes added on at the end, I’ve never seen that in my life, so it’s just frustrating.”

Northern Ireland had the ball in the net before Germany struck but Daniel Ballard’s close range finish was ruled out as McNair was in an offside position in the build up.

“I thought I was onside,” he said. “I was thinking, I’ve missed that, who was offside? I didn’t know until the changing room at half-time. It was myself, so I didn’t feel offside. I think from what I hear, it was pretty close.”