EVIAN-LES-BAINS: To silence the critics, Germany needs to get its attack going.

The team's misfiring forwards have yet to score at the European Championship in games against Ukraine and Poland, and coach Joachim Loew has brushed off suggestions of a lack of leadership in his side.

The World Cup champions, who face Northern Ireland on Tuesday in Group C, needed defender Shkodran Mustafi to break the deadlock against Ukraine before midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger sealed the 2-0 win on a break in injury time.

Northern Ireland, playing in its first European Championship, is in a good position to progress from the group after Gareth McAuley led the side to a 2-0 win over Ukraine. The Northern Irish are guaranteed of at least third place and would secure qualification with a victory over Germany at the Parc des Princes.

"When we came into the tournament, we knew we were in as tough a group as there is, and we wanted something to play for in the last game," Northern Ireland coach Michael O'Neill said after beating Ukraine in Lyon. "We have a realistic prize at the end of the Germany game and that's immensely pleasing."

Northern Ireland can take heart from the only previous meeting between the countries at a major tournament, when they drew 2-2 in a group game at the 1958 World Cup. Both progressed to the quarterfinals.