Bundesliga
Undav gives Germany Nations League win in Bosnia
Deniz Undav scored twice as Germany consolidated top spot in UEFA Nations League Group A3 with victory away to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Bosnia 1-2 Germany
Goals: 0-1 Undav 29' (assist: Wirtz), 0-2 Undav 36' (assist: Mittelstädt), 1-2 Džeko 70' (assist: Tahirović)
With four points on the board after their opening two Nations League fixtures, Germany would have been quietly confident of getting a positive result in Saravejo. They rode their luck at times as Ivan Bašić and VfB Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirović fired wide from range inside the opening 20 minutes, but a moment of quality from Florian Wirtz put them firmly on the front foot. The Bayer Leverkusen talisman received a Joshua Kimmich free-kick with his back to goal, before smartly laying the ball off for Undav to sink a confident finish past Bosnia's St. Pauli-based goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj. Germany debutant Tim Kleindienst had a goal ruled out and Demirović struck the woodwork in a barmy spell that culminated in Undav poking in his second of the contest from Stuttgart teammate Maximillian Mittelstädt's probing cross.
Germany peppered the Bosnia goal after the restart, with Undav twice going close before being denied his hat-trick by the linesman's flag. Serge Gnabry thought he had a goal to mark his first senior international appearance in almost a year, but his strike was also ruled out for an offside. Bosnia went straight up the other end to reduce the arrears as ex-Wolfsburg goal machine Edin Džeko headed in substitute Benjamin Tahirović's corner. Kleindienst nodded wide in an open finale, with Germany successfully seeing out their second Nations League win in three to cement first place in the section ahead of their showdown with the Netherlands on 14 October.
Match stats
- Nagelsmann’s Germany are unbeaten after the standard 90 minutes of their past 12 matches (excluding an extra-time defeat against Spain at Euro 2024).
- Undav has scored three times in five senior internationals.
- Wirtz has two goals and two assists in his last four Germany appearances.
- Jonathan Burkardt and Alex Nübel also made their senior international debuts.
- Germany are four-time FIFA World Cup winners and three-time European champions, but have yet to reach the final four in three editions of the Nations League.
- Džeko scored 66 goals in 111 appearances for Wolfsburg.
Teams
Germany: Nübel - Kimmich (c), Tah, Rüdiger, Mittelstädt (Gosens 66') - Andrich (Stiller), Groß (Anton 90'+1) - Gnabry (Führich), Wirtz, Undav (Burkardt 66') - Kleindienst
Unused subs: Blaswich, Baumann, Schlotterbeck, Rüdiger, Leweling, Pavlović, Stiller, Schade
Out: Havertz (knee), Henrichs (back), Koch (hip), Musiala (hip), Raum (ankle), Ter Stegen (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Bosnia: Vasilj - Gazibegović, Katić, Barišić, Kolašinac (Tabaković 90'+1) - Gigovic (Šarić 65') - Huseinbašić (Hajradinović 65'), Bašić (Tahirović 46'), Burnić (Bajraktarević 84'), Demirović - Džeko (c)
Unused subs: Hadzikić, Zlomislić, Bičakčić, Mujakić, Omerović, Radeljić, Kulasin
Out: -
Coach: Sergej Barbarez
As it happened!
1 - 2(0 - 2)
Bosnia
FINAL
Germany
vs
Full-time: Bosnia 1-2 Germany!
That's seven points from a possible nine for Germany in Group A3. They deserved it, too, with Undav's brace decisive. The Netherlands await on Monday...
90' +5
vs
Ermedin Demirović
90' +1
vs
Haris Tabaković
Sead Kolašinac
90' +1
vs
Waldemar Anton
Pascal Groß
89'
vs
Time added on
The fourth official's board goes up to indicate five additional minutes, just as Führich has a goal-bound shot charged down...
83'
vs
Close!
Kleindienst heads a Kimmich cross wide from a tight angle. The Gladbach man is unlucky not to have a debut goal to his name - solid effort in the lone striker's role!
86'
vs
Bajraktarević
Dženis Burnić
82'
vs
Fresh legs
Gnabry's put in a lively shift - confirmation of his return to form since the start of the season with Bayern. Stuttgart's Chris Führich is his replacement.
82'
vs
Chris Führich
Serge Gnabry
79'
vs
Elsewhere
In the other Group A3 game. Hungary are holding the Netherlands to a 1-1 draw. That's great news for Germany, who will go clear at the top with a win here.
74'
vs
Tahirovic
70'
vs
Džek-goal!
Nagelsmann wil not be happy about this, conceding from a corner. It's Džeko with the header - game on!
69'
vs
Flag's up
The linesman's flag denies Gnabry, who was a stretch offside before finding the top corner.
66'
vs
Angelo Stiller
Robert Andrich
66'
vs
Robin Gosens
Maximilian Mittelstädt
66'
vs
Burkardt debut
The Mainz striker replaces two-goal hero Undav.
66'
vs
Jonathan Burkardt
Deniz Undav
65'
vs
Hajradinovic
Denis Huseinbašić
65'
vs
Saric
Gigovic
58'
vs
It won't count!
Undav scores again after Vasilj could only parry from Kleindienst, but it's chalked off by the VAR. Offside is the call.
54'
vs
Undav again...
... but his first-time strike from close range is blocked by a white shirt. Bosnia can't handle the Germany No.13!
51'
vs
Worth a go!
Wirtz passes to Undav who, on a hat-trick, drives past the upright from outside the area.
46'
vs
Up and running again!
Bosnia have introduced the more defensively minded Tahirovic in a bid to get a grip on the game. Germany are unchanged.
46'
vs
Tahirovic
Basic
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
44'
vs
Added time
Just 60 seconds tacked on at the end of a very entertaining first half of Nations League football...
40'
vs
In charge
Germany haven't been at their best, but they've been clinical in front of goal.
36'
vs
Undav at the double...
... and this one's made in Stuttgart as the Germany forward reacts fastest to a teasing cross from club-mate Maxi Mittelstädt. Proper poacher's goal, that.
35'
vs
Woodwork!
So close from Demirović, who ghosts in off the left and fizzes and effort off the crossbar. Nübel was beaten!
32'
vs
Disallowed goal!
Undav's involved again as Kleindienst fires in from close range, but it won't count. There was an offside in the build-up.
30'
vs
Germany lead!
There it is! Wirtz controls a Kimmich free-kick with his back to goal. Leverkusen's star man lays it off to Undav, who drives home his second senior international goal.
26'
vs
Two decent efforts
First Pascal Groß has a crack from range for Germany. Demirović then follows suit, but a defender gets in the way.
22'
vs
Cautious
The feelers are still out in Sarajevo, but Bosnia have made a confident start, considering the manner of their 5-2 drubbing at the hands of the Netherlands on Matchday 1.
18'
vs
Risky business
Gnabry sells his keeper short with an undercooked back-pass. Luckily, Nübel is alert to the danger and clears before Dzeko can take advantage.
14'
vs
Not clicking
With Musiala missing through injury, it's not quite clicking for Germany in the final third just yet.
11'
vs
Battle of the Bundesliga strikers
Now Stuttgart's Demirović tries his luck, the Bosnia forward volleying wide following another good delivery into the penalty box.
9'
vs
Kleindienst!
The Gladbach striker meets a Gnabry free-kick, but can't direct his header on target. With his height, he'll give the Bosnia defence some real problems.
7'
vs
Gigovic
4'
vs
Warning shot!
Bašić does really well to create some space for a shot, which he whips just past Nübel's upright.
1'
vs
Under way!
Can Germany make it three games unbeaten in this season's Nations League?
0 - 0
Kick-off!
158s
vs
Watch: All Edin Džeko's Bundesliga goals in 2008/09
Although close to 40, Edin Džeko will still be a threat to Germany. The Bosnia and Herzegovina captain, who was born in Sarajevo where war broke out at the age of six, is his country’s all-time top appearance maker and scorer, and will go down as one of the game’s great strikers thanks to a goal and trophy-laden career. His first title was arguably the most incredible of the lot, though, coming in his second season with 2008/09 Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg.
vs
More on those teams
Goalkeeper Alex Nübel and striker Tim Kleindienst are handed their Germany debuts, while Serge Gnabry makes his first appearance for his country in almost a year. As for Bosnia, Germany-based contingent Nikola Vasilj, Ermin Bičakčić, Denis Huseinbašić, Dženis Burnić and Ermedin Demirović all start.
vs
Germany starting XI
Nübel - Kimmich (c), Tah, Rüdiger, Mittelstädt - Andrich, Groß - Gnabry, Wirtz, Undav - Kleindienst