Gelsenkirchen: The Netherlands scored two goals in the last five minutes to grab a 2-2 draw with Germany on Monday and book a place in the Nations League final four. The result in Gelsenkirchen means the Dutch advance at the expense of world champions France to join hosts Portugal, England and Switzerland in the four-team finals in June next year. The Dutch, who needed a point in the League A Group 1 game to reach the finals, trailed from first half goals from Timo Werner and Leroy Sane.
Quincy Promes scored in the 85th-minute in what looked to be no more than a late consolation for the Dutch, but Liverpool defender Virgilvan Dijk scored from close range in the last minute. “I am disappointment with the result,” Joachim Loew told ARD television.
“But over the whole of the game we saw more positive than negative aspects. In the end were punished. That’s really bitter and something that’s been a feature of the year.”
Loew’s side were already relegated from the group but pride was at stake against arch-rivals Netherlands, who needed a point to finish top of the group above France on the head-to-head rule and go into the finals.
Loew wanted to end the year on a conciliatory note after experiencing the worst 12 months in his 12-year era with six defeats — the highest number in the German Football Federation DFB’s 111-year history — and early exit from the World Cup in Russia. Only 12 goals had been scored, the lowest figure in Loew’s tenure,but there was no denying Germany’s early effectiveness against Ronald Koeman’s side.
Germany’s first shot produced a goal when Werner lashed onto a Serge Gnabry flick and belted the ball in from outside the area in the ninth minute.
Leroy Sane then made it two 10 minutes later with Germany’s second on target, taking a long ball from Mats Hummels and making space before seeing his deflected left-foot shot beat Jasper Cillessen in goal.
The Dutch had plenty of the ball in midfield but the closest they came before the break was when Germany central defender Niklas Suele headed a Daley Blind cross just over his own bar.
Werner shot just wide on the break midway through the second half before making way for Marco Reus, while Thomas Mueller then came off the bench in the 67th minute to replace Gnabry for his 100th cap.
A solo run and shot by Memphis Depay saved by the foot of Manuel Neuer in goal was the closest the Dutch came until Promes punished Germany’s failure to clear the ball with a curling shot past the keeper.
The Dutch then snatched the point they need when Van Dijk volleyed in after Tony Vilhena’s cross from the right was nodded on by Luuk de Jong.
Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong said: “Of course we kept believing in a result, but I have to be honest - the first half wasn’t good.
“We didn’t have an answer to the way they played. We changed things around a bit and we got more control in the second half, although that’s not to say that we were better.”
Germany’s Werner told ARD: “We shouldn’t have given away a 2-0 lead with five minutes to go. — DPA
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
