WATCH: Around 1,000 German fans met with chants of 'we're going to win the group' by Northern Ireland supporters on march to World Cup qualifier
There was a great atmosphere in Belfast on Monday evening as German fans marching to Windsor Park for a World Cup qualifier were met with chants of “we’re going to win the group” from their Northern Ireland counterparts.
Around 1,000 travelling supporters – labelled as Fan Club Nationalmannschaft by the Parades Commission – made their way from Bradbury Place to Donegal Road and through Donegal Avenue before arriving at the National Stadium.
Along their route, they met a Northern Ireland Supporters Club with the pair exchanging chants ahead of their teams meeting in what could be a crucial clash when it comes to World Cup qualification.
Three teams – Germany, Northern Ireland and Slovakia – are all level on six points in Group A after three matches with the main objective progressing to the major tournament which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States next summer.
Germany haven’t visited Belfast since winning 2-0 during Euro 2020 qualifying in September 2019, but Michael O’Neill’s young squad will have taken confidence from putting together a seven-game unbeaten home run.
"Home form is everything,” said manager Michael O’Neill. “It's very difficult to win on the road in international football, so making sure we're good at home is essential to giving ourselves a chance to be competitive.
"We have a chance to get a big result and hopefully we take that. The atmosphere was great (on Friday).
"We've had big games here in the past and for that game we asked the crowd to give what they gave us and the players responded.
"It is important the team play with a real identity and represent what we are as a country as well. I think we got that in the performance on Friday night."
O’Neill will take charge of his 100th match as Northern Ireland manager on Monday night, marking a milestone moment on a special journey which has included major tournament qualification and a historic European Championships victory.
The 56-year-old first stood on an international touchline in February 2012 and a maiden win came at the 10th attempt against Fabio Capello's Russia.
Rather than reflecting on past glories, O’Neill is keen to see Northern Ireland continually strive for progression.
"I look back to the first game I won as an international manager against Russia, who had Fabio Capello as their manager, and I remember that very fondly because at that point I thought I might never win a match as an international manager!" he added. “At different points in your career you take pleasure from different results...we had some great results in 2018, great performances, but I don't really look back and say they're the highlights of my career.
"I'm not the type of person who is looking for highlights, I'm just looking for progression. We have an opportunity to put ourselves in a really strong position in the group, but it's a big ask.
"I think people have to realise it's a big ask against one of the top teams in European football.
"Whilst we were disappointed to lose in Cologne, we saw the strength of the German squad and the changes Nagelsmann was able to make between game one and two. We'll have to deal with a lot and be ready for that."