The Oranje reach Nations League finals: Key winners & losers from Germany 2-2 Netherlands

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Netherlands confirmed their spot in the final four of the Uefa Nations League thanks to a 2-2 draw with Germany.

Germany went into the game knowing they had already been relegated from League A, but took the lead inside 10 minutes with Timo Werner finishing brilliantly from just outside the area.

It took Die Mannschaft just 10 minutes to score again, this time Leroy Sane breaking through the Dutch defence to beat Jasper Cillessen via a slight deflect.

Quincy Promes gave the Netherlands hope with five minutes to go, following a good finish from outside the area and Virgil van Dijk scored in injury time to send the Oranje through.

But who were the major winners and losers on the night?

Winner: Ronald Koeman

The Netherlands needed a point against a down-trodden Germany to secure their place in the last four of the Nations League. Keep a clean sheet and they’d be there.

From the start it looked as though Ronald Koeman may have instilled this thought into the heads of his players, as the Netherlands tried to build a secure defence before thinking about getting forward.

But after just nine minutes their back line had been breached and suddenly the Netherlands had to come out and play football, opening themselves to the counter against a Germany side playing with increasing confidence.

Overall, the performance was poor, and the Netherlands could have had little complaint had they succumbed to the 2-0 defeat many had expected with five minutes to go having barely worked Manuel Neuer in the Germany goal.

It looked as if the Netherlands’ poor away form would come back to bite them, having won just on of their six games on the road under Koeman – a 3-0 win against Portugal in Switzerland, their first away match of the year. But, in that same time, the Netherlands had drawn four and that was all they required on Monday to go through.

Koeman will have reminded his team of that until the end, sensing Germany had taken their foot of the pedal before going for broke with Van Dijk sent up front. And it paid off.

They may still be some way from the Netherlands sides to have inspired over the years, but Koeman’s men are in the semi-finals of the Nations League.

Loser: Joachim Low

Germany got a draw against the Netherlands on Monday night but to every fan of Die Mannschaft, as well as the players, it must feel like a defeat.

Going into the game there wasn’t too much for Germany to be playing for, other than pride and a chance for seeding for the Euro 2020 qualifiers, and for the most part it looked like they had something to prove to fans and themselves after a poor 2018.

In their first three Nations League games, Germany had managed just one goal with Toni Kroos scoring from the penalty spot against France in October. But within 19 minutes on Monday night they had upped their tally by 200% with two goals to put the Netherlands to the sword.

But then they took their foot off the gas, almost as though they believed the win was wrapped up and they had ruined their neighbours’ hopes of winning the Nations League.

And that is where it all went wrong, as Die Mannschaft conceded a goal with five minutes to go, inviting pressure from a Netherlands side going for broke – one more and they’d be through. It was as simple as that for Koeman’s men.

Those final five minutes perfectly sum up Germany’s 2018, one of severe disappointment from a team full of talent underperforming.

There were positive notes from the opening 80 minutes which haven’t been there this year, but those will quickly be forgotten by many as they analyse once again where things went wrong.

Winner: Virgil van Dijk

After 85 minutes, the Netherlands looked like they were set to finish second in League A1 and miss out on a place in the Nations League semi-finals.

But then a tactical change saw Virgil van Dijk move further up the pitch, with Koeman knowing Germany were still weak despite showing signs of improvements throughout the game.

And, after Promes had given the Netherlands hope with five minutes to go, it was time for the captain to do his duty, causing havoc inside the German penalty area first winning a header before volleying past Neuer from close range to break French hearts.

Winner: Timo Werner

Everyone who watches RB Leipzig knows Timo Werner is a very good striker, with a shedload of promise. That’s why Bayern Munich want him to replace Robert Lewandowski.

But for whatever reason the form just hasn’t transfered over to the German national team, with Werner scoring eight goals in his first 22 games for Die Mannschaft – which may seem like a respectable return on paper, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.

When Germany really needed him most, to lead the line at the World Cup in Russia, Werner struggled, failing to score a single goal as the defending world champions bowed out at the group stages.

The young striker looked bereft of any self belief and luck, being moved around the front line by Joachim Low who didn’t seem to know how to get the best out of his man.

Fast-forward to Monday night and Werner showed his nation what he can do. Picking up a knock on from Serge Gnabry, Werner controlled the ball with his head before driving a low, bouncing effort into the bottom right corner from 25 yards.

It was his first goal in the Nations League, and his first for Germany since before the World Cup – a total of 751 minutes passing since he previous goal against Saudi Arabia in June.

Loser: Georginio Wijnaldum

Having been so impressive in the wins over France and Germany, Georginio Wijnaldum had a night to forget in Gelsenkirchen. So unforgettable, it was hard to tell the midfielder was on the pitch at times.

Apart from getting booked for a poor foul on Joshua Kimmich and escaping a second yellow for fouling Toni Kroos in the second half, Wijnaldum did little of note to help his side launch a comeback against Germany.

Lasting 60 minutes before being taken off as the game looked to be getting away from the Netherlands, Wijnaldum had just 17 touches of the ball – the fewest of any player to have started the match, including the two goalkeepers and Ryan Babel who was substituted just before half-time.

In addition to that, the Liverpool midfielder completed just nine passes. That’s an average of one every six minutes.

Winner: Leroy Sane

Like Werner, Sane has really struggled to make a real impact for the German national team, despite showing extreme levels of ability at club level with Manchester City.

The winger missed out on the World Cup this summer with Low feeling he could not bring anything more to the German side, though his fearless attitude could have proved the difference in Russia.

And it was against Russia last week when Sane got his Germany career up and running, scoring his first goal for Die Mannschaft in his 16th game. It would only take the 22-year-old four days to grab his second.

Smelling blood following Germany’s early goal, Sane raced onto Kroos’ long pass over the Netherlands defence, with a slice of luck helping him to get the ball under control. But he still had to compose himself to score, with a smartly-placed effort deflecting off Kenny Tete past Jasper Cillessen.

And the goal just added to Sane’s confidence, as he continued to torment the Dutch defence with just the final link up with his team-mates preventing Germany from going even further ahead.

With Sane and Werner looking to finally find their feet, the future does look brighter for Germany despite a forgettable 2018.

Loser: Javairo Dilrosun

Your international debut is supposed to be something to remember, a moment to treasure for any player regardless of age, let alone someone like 20-year-old Javairo Dilroson. But it will not be a game the Hertha Berlin winger will look on too fondly on.

Coming on from the bench just before half-time to replace the injured Ryan Babel, Dilrosun’s senior international bow for the Netherlands would last 21 minutes before having to be taken off with an injury of his own.

In his brief time on the pitch, Dilroson have very little impact on the game, in fact making Wijnaldum look like a busy body. The 20-year-old had just four touches of the ball and completed one of his two attempted passes.

Loser: France

One team who would’ve been watching Monday’s game closely was world champions France, whose Nations League fate rested in the hands of Germany and the Netherlands.

Having played all four of their games in League A1, France topped the group but were relying on a Germany win to secure their place alongside Portugal, England and Switzerland in the final four next June. A draw, or Netherlands win, would see Les Bleus finish second.

But, in Germany’s poor 2018 continuing following a 2-2 result despite having been 2-0 up, the world champions will not be fighting it out to become the first Nations League winners next year.

The post The Oranje reach Nations League finals: Key winners & losers from Germany 2-2 Netherlands appeared first on Squawka News.



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