Germany miss the chance to beat Netherlands in Gelsenkirchen

Germany were very close to winning their last Nations League game against the Netherlands on Monday (19/11), but had to settle for a 2-2 draw in the VELTINS-Arena. The U21s had more success in Italy, winning 2-1. Alexander Nübel played the whole game in goal. schalke04.de has summarised the two fixtures.

Leroy Sane

Sané scores in his former ground

In front of 42,186 fans in the VELTINS-Arena, Germany came very close to defeating the Netherlands. Timo Werner volleyed the home side into the lead after nine minutes, before Leroy Sané doubled the lead 20 minutes later. Schalke’s Sebastian Rudy wasn’t brought off the bench by Joachim Löw.

Manuel  Neuer, Thilo Kehrer and Leroy Sané all started the game, meaning that three players from the Schalke youth academy began the game in Gelsenkirchen. A fourth, Leon Goretzka, was substituted on in the 80th minute. Five minutes after the midfielder was brought on, Quincy Promes got one back for the Dutch. Virgil van Dijk then got the equaliser in injury time.

Nübel’s save secures the win

Alexander Nübel put in a good display for Germany U21s in Italy and helped secure the win in the team’s last game of 2018 with his brilliant save from Patrick Cutrone’s free kick in the 80th minute. Freiburg’s Luca Waldschmidt (43’) & (48’) scored both goals for Germany. Nübel was helpless with Italy’s goal in the 21st minute. Suat Serdar, the other Schalke player in the U21s squad, didn’t feature.

Germany U21s have now ended 2018 unbeaten, winning seven games and drawing once in Kosovo. They are now ten games unbeaten in total – a good sign ahead of the U21 Euros next sommer in Italy (16-30 June).