Nathan Ake was carried off injured on a stretcher as the Netherlands and Germany played out an entertaining 2-2 Nations League draw in Amsterdam.
Manchester City defender Ake pulled up off the ball with what looked to be a serious muscular injury shortly after Deniz Undav’s first international goal for Germany cancelled out Tijjani Reijnders’ early opener.
Joshua Kimmich put the visitors ahead in first-half added time before Denzel Dumfries levelled a thrilling Group A3 clash at Johan Cruijff ArenA.
Two goals in two games for Tijjani Reijnders 🇳🇱#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/bt6UDweaU8
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) September 10, 2024
Germany launched their campaign with Saturday’s 5-0 thrashing of Hungary, while the Dutch ran out in their capital city buoyed by a resounding 5-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Eindhoven.
Ronald Koeman’s men made a rapid start and led inside two minutes.
Ryan Gravenberch’s through-ball exposed a gaping hole in the Germany defence and Reijnders, who was one of five scorers against Bosnia, raced clear to calmly slot between the legs of Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
After Kai Havertz ruffled the side-netting at the other end, unmarked Dutch defender Dumfries should have doubled the hosts’ lead when he somehow headed wide from Xavi Simons’ free-kick.
Germany’s backline continued to look fragile.
Liverpool midfielder Gravenberch once again unlocked it, pinging an exquisite 40-yard pass to release Simons, whose low effort at the end of the counter attack was saved by Ter Stegen
The hosts’ hard work was undone during a major momentum shift in the closing minutes of the half.
Undav levelled in the 38th minute, slamming high into the net on the rebound at the end of move sparked by Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt conceding possession while attempting to play out from the back.
Ake then departed in distress following treatment on the field – to be replaced by Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber – before Julian Nagelsmann’s team edged ahead in the resultant added time.
Robert Andrich’s delightful diagonal pass to the left was helped back across goal by a combination of David Raum and Undav, leaving captain Kimmich with a tap-in.
Captain fantastic 💪🇩🇪#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/XKQtFiRIPz
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) September 10, 2024
The Netherlands set aside the series of setbacks to equalise within five minutes of the restart.
Brian Brobbey, who was selected to start in place Joshua Zirkzee, pulled the ball across goal from the left, leaving Dumfries with a simple finish to atone for his earlier glaring miss.
Former Brighton forward Undav wasted a glorious opportunity to grab victory for Germany when he failed to get sufficient height on his attempted lob with just Bart Verbruggen to beat as an end-to-end encounter ended all square.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
