The German national football team passed the extreme endurance test against arch-rivals the Netherlands with a lot of passion and a bit of luck.
After considerable initial problems, the team of national coach Julian Nagelsmann fought their way to a 2:2 (2:1) draw in the Nations League in a wild classic. Positive despite considerable defensive weaknesses: In Amsterdam, they were not put off by the earliest goal conceded in 50 years and an extremely shaky first half hour, and never gave up.
Tijjani Reijnders set the Johan Cruyff Arena on fire with his goal after just 99 seconds. It was the earliest goal conceded by the DFB team since Johan Neeskens scored after 86 seconds in the 1974 World Cup triumph over the Netherlands. The first international goal by starting debutant Deniz Undav (38th) and captain Joshua Kimmich (45th+3) turned the tide. All highlights of the game can be found in the video above.
The 1200 German fans who had travelled with the team in the not quite full away section were again “completely detached”. But Denzel Dumfries (51′) once again outwitted the leaky DFB defence, and the draw was a small setback after the opening win against Hungary (5:0). In October, however, the DFB team can take further steps towards the knockout round in Bosnia and in the return match against the Elftal in Munich.
Germany’s remaining defense not good
Nagelsmann had warned his team: Oranje would counterattack, he said, and his defense had to be good “in the rest of the defense so that the space behind the chain doesn’t get too big.” That’s exactly what happened when the score was 0-1. The German back four with the insecure Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck had moved up a long way, number six Robert Andrich was tunneled by a through ball from ex-Munich player Ryan Gravenberch, and Reijnders scored alone in front of Marc-Andre ter Stegen. “Very poor defense,” complained RTL expert Lothar Matthäus.
The Dutch fans, who had been getting into the swing of things by booing the German line-up and watching an atmospheric light show under the closed arena roof, celebrated ecstatically. And Nagelsmann, who had joked with Sandro Wagner after the national anthem, suddenly felt more in need of a conversation with his assistant. His players, led by designer Pascal Groß, tried to gain confidence through phases of possession.
This didn’t result in more than a shot from Kai Havertz that hit the side netting (11th minute). Striker Undav, who replaced the injured Niclas Füllkrug, was unable to get into the game for a long time. Instead, the hosts had top chances through Dumfries (15th minute) and Leipzig’s Xavi Simons (21st minute), who was again perfectly set up by the eye-catching Gravenberch. Nagelsmann complained – but was soon able to celebrate.
“Wusiala” this time with problems
A light pressing moment from Jamal Musiala, who, like his magic buddy Florian Wirtz, had a harder time this time, made it possible to equalize. Andrich set up the 2-1 with a perfect diagonal ball that went via David Raum and Undav to Kimmich, who only had to push it in. Undav is the first international player since Amin Younes in 2017 to score a goal and provide an assist on his starting debut.
Musiala lost the ball during the equaliser, Schlotterbeck looked bad again and Raum let his opponent Dumfries go. Havertz (52′) had the chance to take the lead again.
Nagelsmann, who had already replaced the partially overwhelmed Tah with Waldemar Anton at the restart, looked for stability with the new double six of Emre Can and Aleksandar Pavlovic (64th). He moved Havertz into the center, the game swayed back and forth. Ultimately, both teams lacked the strength or a decisive, brilliant idea to do more.
Source: www.sport.de
