Keiren Westwood – 4 Wasn’t asked a question before Marco Reus opened the scoring in the 32nd minute. Couldn’t be faulted for the goals, bar Klose’s where he might feel he should have done better having forced the striker well wide of the goal.
Seamus Coleman – 4 Always going to be a trying evening for the 24-year-old’s competitive debut. Showed his attacking intent in the build-up to Reus’s second but was left without support and crowded out before Germany broke to score at lightning pace.
Stephen Ward – 5 Pushed on well to create chances for Cox and Walters in the second half before Germany opened the floodgates.
John O’Shea – 4 Caught dawdling at 0-0 and desperately lucky not to concede a penalty for a blatant tug on Reus. It was his headed clearance slammed home on the volley by Kroos for Germany’s fifth.
Darren O’Dea – 3 A night to forget summed up in the first 15 minutes after the break, when O’Dea was booked for a tug on Kroos, conceded a penalty with a needless lunge from behind on Klose, and then failed to track the Lazio striker’s run in behind for the fourth goal.
Aiden McGeady – 4 Linked well with Walters during Ireland’s only decent period early on. Must shoulder significant blame for Germany’s opener when he seemed oblivious to the attacking dart of Schmelzer from full-back. Replaced by Keogh, 69′.
James McCarthy – 4 An evening which reflected Ireland’s overall experience. McCarthy started well as the most forward of the midfield trio, denying Germany space with timely presses, but drifted out of the game. Looked totally disinterested when throwing a leg in Kroos’s general direction for Germany’s sixth.
Keith Andrews – 5 Was part of a general midfield malaise which saw Ireland completely lose their shape and overrun in the second half. One of the few attacking threats but was limited to wild shots from distance which never troubled Neuer.
Keith Fahey – 5 Played Ireland’s best ball of the night when he found Seamus Coleman with a raking cross-field pass to the right wing. Outmatched in midfield by a technically superior opposition and didn’t have much influence on the game before he was replaced by Long early in the second half.
Simon Cox – 4 Asked to play a lonely role on the left wing which involved far more defending than attacking. As a result, seemed leggy on the rare occasions that Ireland tried to transition from defence to attack quickly. Caught in two minds when played in by Ward to test Neuer early in the second half.
Jonathan Walters – 5 Saddled with a thankless task in a 4-5-1 formation which left him frequently isolated up front. Did well in the opening 20 minutes to hold off Badstuber and Mertesacker, bringing the midfielders into the game, but involvement thin on the ground thereafter.
Substitutes
Shane Long (for Fahey, 51′) – 5 Introduced as substitute just before the game ran away from Ireland and never had any chance to make an impression.
Andy Keogh (for McGeady, 69′) – 6 Should have scored when played in by Brady in stoppage time. Did so at the second time of asking, heading the resulting corner past Neuer.
Robbie Brady (for Cox, 83′) – 5 Good return from his limited time on the pitch. Created a good chance for Keogh with neat play on the edge of the box and then put in a good cross for the goal.
