Denzel Dumfries celebrates the equalizer with the man of the assist: the strongly playing Brian Brobbey. – Photo: KNVB Media
The Dutch national team drew the second group match in the UEFA Nations League in a sold-out Johan Cruijff ArenA. After an intense and exciting battle, the Dutch team and Germany shared the points; 2-2. For the Netherlands, Tijjani Reijnders and Denzel Dumfries scored. Jan Paul van Hecke made his debut.
Netherlands – Germany is a match to look forward to as a fan. Always loaded because of the history, although the sharpest edges are gone. And especially because of the pure class that can be admired on the field. Both countries entertained their audience on Saturday in the first round of the UEFA Nations League with a football show.
— The basis of the Dutch team for the duel with Germany
Fresh
Oranje with the wandering Joshua Zirkzee in the front and the budding Ryan Gravenberch in midfield played with agile and alternating positional play the defensive block of Bosnia-Herzegovina apart time and again. Because the Netherlands dropped a few stitches in the back it was ‘only’ 5-2. When talking about Oranje the last few days the word fresh was often used.
In Germany, after the match against Hungary (5-0), people couldn’t stop talking about the wonder children Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, lovingly called ‘Wusiala’. Because they find each other blindly and sense each other perfectly. With Kai Havertz, Germany plays with three 10s who are constantly on the move behind the stocky striker Niclas Füllkrug. The fact that all four scored shows that Germany plays with a lot of variation and is difficult to defend.
— Ryan Gravenberch can look back on a very strong performance, just like against Bosnia – Herzegovina.
Supertrio
The question whether both teams could also compete against a stronger opponent hung over the sold-out Johan Cruijff ArenA before the match. Joshua Zirkzee did not get that chance because national coach had indicated in advance that he would give Brian Brobbey a chance against Germany in his search for a new attacking leader. And German national coach Julian Nagelsmann could not build on his successful formation either because Füllkrug had to drop out with an injury. Nagelsmann decided not to move his team and to replace the striker one-on-one with Deniz Undav. The 28-year-old striker of Vfb Stuttgart had not yet scored in his three previous international matches.
In this way, Nagelsmann kept his ‘Supertrio’ intact behind the striker. And according to Koeman, that was the biggest challenge in defense. “That requires a lot of communication, defending spaces and not always man-to-man. But I am also curious about what we can bring to the ball ourselves. Germany also looked at how we played on Saturday and I think they are also worried about us.”
— Tijjani Reijnders broke open the match in the second minute with his third international goal.
Whirlwind
Koeman was granted his wish in the second minute and his choice of Brobbey paid off immediately. The strong striker chested a long ball from Bart Verbruggen back to Gravenberch who served the deep Tijjani Reijnders. The road to Ter Stegen was open. Only in front of the goalkeeper, Reijnders remained calm and shot Oranje into the lead with his third international goal.
It was the starting signal for a match that unfolded like a whirlwind. Germany gained more control of the match after ten minutes; they also had more possession, but the Netherlands were extremely dangerous in the transition and had two great opportunities to extend their lead. In the fourteenth minute, Denzel Dumfries headed wide in a free position.
— Jurriën (no. 3) and Quinten Timber help each other to win the ball.
Dropkick exterior
The highlight of the first half came seven minutes later. It seemed as if the feet of Cruijff, Maradona and Pelé had merged for a moment under the right leg of Ryan Gravenberch. The technique, the intuition, the curve, the impossible precision, the admiration of the crowd, everything that makes football so beautiful, came together in the heavenly pass – dropkick outside of the foot – with which he put Xavi Simons one-on-one with Ter Stegen from his own half this time. Impeded by the sprinting back Musiala, the swift attacker stumbled on the legs of the Barcelona keeper.
Germany had more of the ball and at times you could see the class of Wirtz and Musiala. But Bart Verbruggen had hardly been in trouble. The team was however helped into the saddle by Oranje just before half-time. Musiala intercepted a transparent ball from De Ligt. Verbruggen was then able to save a shot from Wirtz, but the rebound was shot high into the goal by Undav; 1-1.
— Xavi Simons is disappointed with his missed opportunity.
Debut
Just before half-time, things went completely wrong for the Dutch team. Nathan Aké had to leave the field with a muscle injury, apparently. He was replaced by Jurriën Timber. Germany immediately profited from the temporary chaos at the Dutch team. Raum steamed up via the left flank. Unday tapped his cross through, after which Kimmich came storming in to put Germany ahead; 1-2.
With two substitutions, Koeman tried to put Germany under more pressure. Jan Paul van Hecke – nephew of former international Jan Poortvliet – made his debut and took the place of Matthijs de Ligt. In midfield, Quinten Timber came in for Jerdy Schouten. That worked out well, also because the central defenders covered better. The Dutch seized the initiative and pushed Germany back into their own half. And then Brobbey, who had also been a nuisance to the German defence in the first half, is at his best. After five minutes, Simons played the Ajax striker into the sixteen with great feeling. Brobbey shielded the ball well and crossed hard from the turn where Dumfries was ready to tap in his seventh international goal; 2-2.
— Brian Brobbey on his way to the assist for the equalizer.
Elan
From the kick-off it was almost 2-3 when Havertz tried to slide the ball in with his knee, but saw the ball go over. The game flowed back and forth in a classic to savor. Both teams played to win, although real chances were lacking. Towards the end of the match, fatigue struck and the level dropped somewhat. It remained exciting, but neither team had the strength to pull the match towards them.
Oranje showed the new élan also against a strong opponent in an intense match. With Gravenberch and Brobbey in the first half as the most striking players. Ronald Koeman can also be satisfied with the breadth of his selection, because he managed to turn the match around with his substitutions at half-time and gain more control over Germany. The exciting classic also proved to be an excellent learning experience.
— Jan Paul van Hecke – nephew of former international Jan Poortvliet – made his debut for the Dutch national team.
UEFA Nations League
Thanks to the draw, Germany remains the leader in Group A3 with four points from two matches. The Netherlands follows in second place with the same number of points but a slightly lower goal difference. The other two countries – Hungary and Bosnia-Herzegovina – drew in Budapest; 0-0. The Netherlands will play the third match in the UEFA Nations League on 11 October in Budapest against Hungary. Three days later, the cracker against Germany will follow in the Allianz Arena in Munich.
Statistics
Competition
Netherlands – Germany 2-2 (1-2)
Score progression
2. Reijnders 1-0, 38. Undav 1-1, 45+3. Kimmich 1-2, 51. Dumfries 2-2
Yellow cards
The Netherlands: –
Germany: Schlotterbeck, Tah, Raum, Wirtz
Basic line-up Netherlands
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The Forgotten Child Go to the auction of the Orange shirts worn during the match against Germany. The proceeds go to The Forgotten Child.
