PARIS -- Three thoughts on Germany's 1-0 win against Northern Ireland in Group C of Euro 2016.
1. Ozil and Muller improve
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich brought width in his first-ever start as a right-back, while Mario Gomez, restored to the Nationalmannschaft starting line-up for the first in a tournament game since Euro 2012, scored the winner with his 28th goal for Germany, to justify his inclusion.
The biggest improvement in Germany's final-third game, however, came courtesy of Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller.
Ozil played with kind of appetite and authority that separates supreme players from those who are merely supremely talented.