Germany stun the Netherlands at the death
A late goal from Nico Schulz gave Germany the win after the Netherlands had come back from 0-2 down at half-time.
Holland vs Germany: match report
Germany have beaten Holland on Dutch soil for the first time in 23 years, thanks to a 90th-minute strike by Nico Schulz following to first half goals from Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry.
An inspired Germany were by far the better side in the first half and were 1-0 up after 15 minutes through a Gnabry-assisted Sane goal. Twenty minutes later Gnabry got himself on the scoreboard with a stunning strike from distance after having cleverly beaten two Dutch defenders, Van Dijk and Dumfries.
But the second half was all about Holland, who came out all guns blazing and had clawed one goal back just three minutes after the break thanks to well-guided header from Ajax centre back Matthijs de Ligt. Fifteen minutes later they were level when Depay latched onto a loose ball inside the box to smash it home.
With the home crowd urging them on, Holland continued to mount the pressure as they went in search of the winner. But completely against the run of play and with their first real chance of the second half, it was Germany who found the game’s fifth goal through Schulz after some great build-up play from the two substitutes Gundogen and Reus. The win will put this new-look Germany side in prime position to top group C, after they look to redeem themselves after a dismal World Cup last year.
Holland vs Germany: as it happened
Holland vs Germany: match preview
Germany get their Euro 2020 campaign underway against Holland in Amsterdam on Sunday, in what is undoubtedly the most mouth-watering clash of the year’s first international break.
After a dismal World Cup, which saw the holders knocked out in the groups stages, and a poor Nations League showing, Germany have a chance to banish some ghosts by beating the old rivals on their own patch.
Having told veteran Bayern Munich trio Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Muller they were no longer part of his plans, coach Joachim Low has said “2019 is a new start for the for the German national football team”. Although a 1-1 home draw in a friendly against Serbia would not have been deemed the greatest of starts for this new-look German side – a game which featured ten players with five or fewer caps.
Since their early World Cup bow-out after a shock 2-0 defeat to South Korea, Low’s side have failed to record a victory in five games – which included a 3-0 defeat and 2-2 draw against their Dutch opponents this Sunday.
Holland, meanwhile, are enjoying somewhat of a renaissance under coach Ronald Koeman, who came in a year ago to replace Dick Advocaat and will be under immense pressure to ensure qualification for Euro 2020, particularly considering the World Cup 2010 finalists have failed to make the last two major tournaments.
Koeman’s first game in charge – almost exactly a year ago on March 23, 2018 – was a 1-0 home defeat to England. But since then, the Oranje have only lost one out of ten encounters, the latest of which was the 4-0 thrashing of Belarus in their opening Euro 2020 qualifying fixture. That result, coupled with a win against Germany in Amsterdam tonight, would put them in prime position to take the top spot in Group C.