Bundesliga
Leweling fires Germany into Nations League quarters
VfB Stuttgart's Jamie Leweling marked his senior international debut with the winning goal as Germany secured their place in the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League knockouts with victory over the Netherlands.
Germany 1-0 Netherlands
Goals: 1-0 Leweling 64'
German football paid tribute to recently retired international quartet Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos and İlkay Gündogan prior to kick-off. The party vibe continued as next-gen talent Leweling fired home inside five minutes, only for the VfB Stuttgart attacker's goal to be ruled out for an offside decision in the build-up against Bayern Munich counterpart Serge Gnabry. Julian Nagelsmann's charges continued to take the game to the visitors as Stuttgart left-back Maximilian Mittelstädt sent a low strike wide and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Tim Kleindienst missed with a header. Kleindienst went close again, before Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller tested Bart Verbruggen and Gnabry drilled just past the upright.
Germany had to withstand a wave of Netherlands pressure after the restart, though debutant goalkeeper Oliver Baumann remained untested. Gnabry fired off another warning shot as the hosts rediscovered their groove, before Leweling made it a case of second time lucky with an emphatic close-range finish following a Joshua Kimmich corner. RB Leipzig's Xavi took the bull by the horns in a bid to bring the Oranje back on level terms, but his thunderous strike was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Baumann. The Hoffenheim stopper was at it again in added time, diving full stretch to thwart Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen as the four-time world champions - unbeaten and top of Group A3 - progressed to the Nations League quarter-final stage with two group games to spare.
Match stats
- Germany have lifted four FIFA World Cups and three UEFA Euro titles, but the Nations League has so far eluded them.
- Leweling, 23, scored twice across 17 appearances for Germany's U19s, 20s and 21s.
- Nagelsmann has now won 10 of 17 games as Germany head coach (D4, L3).
- Aged 34 years and 131 years, Baumann is the second oldest player to make his Germany debut in the post-war era.
- Three Stuttgart players featured in consecutive Germany games for the first time since 2009.
- Gnabry's 22 goals for Germany make him the highest-scoring current squad member. However, his last international goal came in March 2023.
Teams
Germany: Baumann - Kimmich (c), Rüdiger, Schlotterbeck, Mittelstädt - Stiller (Anton 82') Pavlović (Schade 77') - Gnabry, Wirtz (Andrich 46'), Leweling (Gosens 87') - Kleindienst (Burkardt 82')
Unused subs: Blaswich, Nübel, Tah, Groß, Undav
Out: Führich (adductor), Füllkrug (calf), Havertz (knee), Henrichs (back), Koch (hip), Musiala (hip), Raum (ankle), Ter Stegen (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Netherlands: Verbruggen - Dumfries, De Vrij (c), Van de Ven, Hato - Gravenberch (Geertruida 80'), Q. Timber (Wieffer (46') - Xavi, Reijnders (Malen 46'), Gakpo (Frimpong 65') - Brobbey (Zirkzee 75')
Unused subs: Flekken, Olij, De Ligt, Til, Kluivert
Out: Aké (hamstring), Schouten (knock), Van Dijk (suspended)
Coach: Ronald Koeman
As it happened!
1 - 0(0 - 0)
Germany
FINAL
Netherlands
90' +2
vs
Nico Schlotterbeck
90' +2
vs
Waldemar Anton
90'
vs
Four minutes of stoppage time indicated
Germany are nearly there.
90'
vs
Blistering Baumann save
Now the other player making his Germany debut has a moment to shine as Malen completes a one-two on the edge of the box and sends a rasping drive towards the top corner until Baumann leaps across to punch clear.
87'
vs
Leweling leaves the field
There is great applause for the goalscorer in Munich as he leaves the pitch after a fine Germany debut to be replaced by Robin Gosens.
87'
vs
Robin Gosens
Jamie Leweling
84'
vs
Mittelstädt might have sealed it
Goalscorer Leweling lays the ball off intelligently on the edge of the box for his onrushing team-mate on the left. Mittelstädt's shot takes a big deflection that could have sent it anywhere, but it goes behind for a corner.
83'
vs
Late changes to see it home?
Julian Nagelsmann introduces three substitutes in the space of five minutes - will that be enough to see the lead past the finish line and secure the spot in the Nations League quarter-finals?
82'
vs
Waldemar Anton
Angelo Stiller
82'
vs
Jonathan Burkardt
Tim Kleindienst
81'
vs
Lutsharel Geertruida
Ryan Gravenberch
79'
vs
Schade showing his talent
The former Freiburg attacker charges forward a couple of times with real menace in the first minutes since his introduction, but can't quite get onto the ball behind the Dutch defence.
77'
vs
Kevin Schade
Aleksandar Pavlović
76'
vs
Xavi hits the crossbar!
You can't give that youngster an inch, as any Bundesliga defender would attest! The Leipzig star cuts inside from the left and smashes on goal from just outside the box, hitting the crossbar in the process.
75'
vs
Joshua Zirkzee
Brian Brobbey
67'
vs
Koeman reacts
Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong becomes the second Bundesliga player to be brought on for the visitors in the second half after Borussia Dortmund's Donyell Malen.
67'
vs
Jeremie Frimpong
Cody Gakpo
64'
vs
Leweling lashes in!
He's already had a goal disallowed on his Germany debut, now Jamie Leweling strikes for real! A Kleindienst header from a Kimmich corner was blocked and rolled out for Leweling to smash in with a thunderous drive from the edge of the box.
61'
vs
Kimmich cannons into wall
Joshua Kimmich hits a free-kick from 20 yards out into the Dutch wall.
57'
vs
Dumfries over
The Dutch defender gets a head to a corner but sends his effort well over.
56'
vs
Gakpo goes out
Gakpo clips a free-kick from the right into the box and straight out of play for a Germany throw-in.
53'
vs
Gnabry over
Germany's first chance of the second half falls to possibly their most impressive player so far tonight. Serge Gnabry completes a one-two with Bayern team-mate Joshua Kimmich to receive the ball in the box from a cut-back but scoops his shot well over.
51'
vs
Momentum shift
Germany have barely been able to get on the ball so far in the second period.
48'
vs
Oranje on the attack
The Netherlands step up a gear as the second half starts with a corner sent in before Gakpo clips a cross into the box. Germany defend both situations comfortably.
46'
vs
Mats Wieffer
Quinten Timber
46'
vs
Donyell Malen
Tijjani Reijnders
46'
vs
Robert Andrich
Florian Wirtz
46'
vs
We're back
The second half starts with both sides making changes.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
45'
vs
Two additional minutes
Can Germany make their pressure count before the break?
42'
vs
Gnabry steals ball again
Serge Gnabry's pressing has posed the Netherlands all kinds of problems in the first half, and he races to take the ball off Timber on the edge of the area - only to send the ball wide of the post.
37'
vs
Stiller header saved
Angelo Stiller sends a header in on goal from the edge of the box on his first start for Germany, following a cross from his Stuttgart team-mate Mittelstädt, but Verbruggen saves.
35'
vs
Dutch dropping back
The Netherlands are getting men behind the ball as Germany continue to combine well.
30'
vs
Reijnders booked
The Dutch midfielder flies into a sliding challenge against Pavlović and is shown a yellow card.
30'
vs
Tijjani Reijnders
29'
vs
Kleindienst goes close
Gnabry wins the ball high up the field again and pokes it forward to Tim Kleindienst, who hits a sharp drive from the edge of the box that flies just wide.
28'
vs
Leweling looks to find net again
Germany are picking up steam here as Gnabry gets to the byline and pulls the ball back intelligently to Jamie Leweling, who takes aim but has his shot deflected behind.
26'
vs
Wirtz almost works wonders
A fine bit of skill from Florian Wirtz leads to the Leverkusen playmaker seeing off two opponents with a shimmy. He tries to thread a pass through to Gnabry, but Timber puts in a sliding block.
24'
vs
Advantage Germany?
The hosts have four shots so far to zero for the Netherlands, but they are yet to create any clear-cut openings.
20'
vs
Xavi overruns it
The Leipzig playmaker tries to spearhead an attack on the break but runs the ball out of play for a goal kick.
16'
vs
Kleindienst heads wide
Rüdiger crosses from the right and Kleindienst clips a header towards the goal, which sails wide to the left of the target.
11'
vs
Mittelstädt has a pop
The Stuttgart full-back breaks forward on the left and has a chance to shoot just inside the box, but Verbruggen saves.
9'
vs
Positive start
Germany have shrugged off the disappointment of having the early goal disallowed and are bringing the ball forward while probing the Dutch defence. Leweling pokes a pass through now to Kleindienst, whose shot from an angle is saved.
1'
vs
Off we go!
We kick off after a moment to remember Dieter Burdenski and Johan Neeskens.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
vs
No away blues for Oranje
The Netherlands have lost just two of their past 13 away matches - but one of those defeats was in Germany.
vs
Stuttgart series
Tonight's match marks the first time since 2009 that two consecutive Germany matches have featured three Stuttgart players.
vs
Age no barrier for Baumann
Oliver Baumann is to become the second oldest player to make his Germany debut in the post-war era - and is the oldest goalkeeper ever to make his debut for Germany aged 34 and 131 days.