Northern Ireland defender Conor Bradley challenges Germany's David Raum for the ball
With the score at 1-1 past the hour mark in Cologne, Michael O’Neill’s men were well in the Group A contest and would have had designs on picking up at least a point and maybe going on to win to deliver a stunning triumph.
Isaac Price had levelled Serge Gnabry’s early goal in in the first half, and just before and after the break the Germans looked all at sea and were taking some stick from their supporters in the RheinEnergieStadion.
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Then substitute Nadiem Amiri netted a goal in the 69th minute that Northern Ireland were frustrated to concede and that was quickly followed by a dubious free-kick, superbly put away by Bradley’s club mate Florian Wirtz.
The result left Northern Ireland on three points along with Germany, while Slovakia’s 1-0 victory in Luxembourg sent them to the top of the table on six points.
In an October double header, O’Neill’s side host Slovakia and Germany.
Conor Bradley celebrates with Isaac Price after the midfielder's goal in Cologne
Bradley said: “We’re disappointed. They are a good team but I thought we played well on the night, especially in the first half, and I’m disappointed because I thought we should have got more than that.
“I don’t think they were overly great on the night. I don’t think we lost because they were brilliant. I thought we lost because obviously the goals weren’t great that we conceded.
“The third one was a brilliant free-kick by Flo (Wirtz) but I don’t think it was a free-kick.
“So it’s disappointing but we will see them in Belfast in a month’s time.”