Germany’s substitute Niclas Füllkrug scored a late goal, giving the European Championship host a confidence-boosting 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in their friendly match on Tuesday.
The Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen tried to stop Füllkrug’s shot in the 85th minute, but after a review, it was confirmed that the ball crossed the line, securing Germany’s second win in two games following their 2-0 triumph over France on Saturday.
This victory ended the Netherlands’ streak of four consecutive wins and rewarded Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann for making changes to the team, including the return of Toni Kroos from international retirement and introducing six new players.
Despite conceding an early goal, Germany showed resilience, and Maximilian Mittelstädt redeemed himself by scoring the equalizer in the 11th minute with a well-placed shot from outside the penalty area.
The atmosphere in the stadium was electrifying, with fans singing “Major Tom” after Germany’s first goal, a moment that reflected the team’s spirit and the support of the fans.
Although the Dutch had chances to score, Germany dominated possession for much of the game, and goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made crucial saves to keep the score level. Eventually, Füllkrug’s late goal secured the win for Germany.
Nagelsmann praised the team’s performance, highlighting the challenges posed by the Dutch and the importance of analyzing the game ahead of the European Championship.
Looking ahead, Germany will face Ukraine and Greece in their final warm-up matches for Euro 2024 in June before opening the tournament against Scotland on June 14. They will then play Hungary and Switzerland in their remaining group stage matches.
