Germany 2-4 Netherlands
It was billed as the Euro 2020 match of the weekend and you know Germany and the Netherlands are never going to let you down.
Our pre-match Germany vs Netherlands betting tips predicted goals, and after an entertaining first half, we had five in the second in front of a packed crowd at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg.
Joachim Low’s Germany thought they’d grabbed a point when they made it 2-2 from the penalty spot after an astonishing decision by the referee, but a spectacular finish from substitute Donyell Malen put the Oranje back in front before Giorginio Wijnaldum rounded things off in injury time.
And that all means Ronald Koeman’s Oranje is now back in the hunt in Group C, three points behind second-placed Germany with a game in hand, while Northern Ireland still holds top spot.
Highlights of the game
The Netherlands settled into the game quickly, knocking the ball around with more than a hint of the Total Football made famous by the Oranje in their 1970s heyday.
But it was Germany who broke the deadlock on nine minutes, breaking quickly after Quincy Promes lost possession in midfield. Lukas Klostermann got his shot away which Jasper Cillessen parried and when the ball fell to Serge Gnabry he fired into the far corner.
The visitors continued to pass the ball around and Germany were happy to sit and watch, preparing to strike again on the break if the chance presented itself. Manuel Neuer had an inexperienced defence in front of him but they kept a good shape as the Netherlands probed. And Koeman’s team’s first big chance came to Matthijs De Ligt as he met a deep cross but his header flashed wide.
As Germany kept their shape chances were few and far between and Memphis Depay headed a rare chance over. But then, three minutes before the break, the ball broke for Marco Reus in the Dutch penalty area and Cillessen made an outstanding one-handed save.
The pattern continued in the early minutes of the second half and Germany fired a dangerous ball into the six-yard area which De Light did brilliantly well to clear. Moments later Van Dijk dealt with an equally incisive ball.
The Netherlands carried on fizzing the ball around and at the end of one move, Georginio Wijnaldum brought a great save from Manuel Neuer diving to his right. And just before the hour the Oranje got the equaliser they deserved when Ryan Babel crossed into the danger area and Frenkie de Jong finished calmly for his first senior international goal.
Five minutes later the Netherlands were ahead and it was a scrappy goal. Virgil Van Dijk leapt to meet a corner and Neuer made a brilliant save, but the ball was scrambled back into the middle by Ryan Babel and it bounced into the net off the hapless Jonathan Tah.
Apparently, the referee was determined to get Germany back in the game and gave the weirdest penalty you would ever wish to see. De Ligt made a tackle and as the ball flew up in the air and bounced down it flicked De Ligt’s hand when he had no way of seeing it. Toni Kroos couldn’t believe his luck and slammed the penalty home.
Where’s VAR when you need it?!
It was sickening for the Netherlands but they weren’t done, and when Wijnaldum burst into the area he flicked up a delightful ball for substitute Donyell Malen to smash a volley high into the net.
And it was Oranje joy in injury time when Wijnaldum skilfully finished off another flying Dutch attack.
Key statistics
The Netherlands dominated the ball in the first half, with over 60 per cent possession, but Germany did more with it when they had the chance, cutting through the most expensive centre back pairing of all time in De Light and Virgil Van Dijk.
But the Dutch were scintillating in the second half winning the shots on target count by nine to five.
A late goal by Nico Schulz gave Germany a crucial 2-3 win in the Netherlands back in March and this was sweet revenge for the Dutch, inflicting a first defeat in seven on the Germans.
What’s next?
Next up Germany has a crunch away game to Northern Ireland on Monday night and Low’s team needs to improve.
Ronald Koeman takes his Netherlands to Estonia, who lost at home to Belarus today and are rooted to the bottom of Group C.
Keep an eye on the SBOBET tips when we take a closer look at those games and as the very latest Euro 2020 news rolls in.
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