Bundesliga
Kimmich earns Germany draw in Italy
Germany responded quickly to going behind to Lorenzo Pellegrini's second-half effort for Italy, with Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich in the right place at the right time to fire the visitors to a UEFA Nations League point in Bologna.
Italy 1-1 Germany
Goals: Pellegrini 70' (assist: Gnonto), 1-1 Kimmich 73'
Both sides were looking to make the perfect start to their Nations League Group A3 challenge at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium. Germany hadn't won on Italian soil since a 2-1 friendly victory back in 1986, but Hansi Flick's men did boast a four-game unbeaten run against the Azzurri that dated back to 2012. The visitors showed plenty of intent to add to that sequence in the opening stages, with Thomas Müller, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry all menacing. For their part, Italy made 10 changes to the team that lost 3-0 to Argentina for the Finalissima trophy on Wednesday. Forward Gianluca Scamacca was one of the new faces in the home set-up and the Sassuolo man went closest to opening the scoring in the opening half with a low shot that clipped the outside of Manuel Neuer's post.
Picking up from where they left off before the break, Italy maintained the pressure at the start of the second half and should have edged in front when a cross from the right arrived to Scamacca who had the goal at his mercy. To Germany's relief, however, the striker's header angled wide of the upright. Roberto Mancini's side maintained their high tempo and would later put that miss behind them with Pellegrini taking full advantage of substitute Wilfried Gnonto's excellent cross to divert in for 1-0. The lead would be short lived, though. The four-time World Champions got on the attack immediately and when Jonas Hofmann's cross from the right struck Timo Werner, Kimmich was alert to smash the loose ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma for the game's equaliser.
Match stats
- Kimmich brought his international goals tally up to four in 65 senior appearances.
- Germany are undefeated in five meetings with Italy, stretching back to their UEFA Euro 2012 semi-final, which the Italians edged 2-1.
- Müller is the most-capped player in Germany's squad with 113. He had three goals and three assists in FIFA World Cup qualifying.
- Teenager Jamal Musiala won his 12th senior Germany cap.
- Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann is the only uncapped player in Flick's 26-man ensemble.
Teams
Italy: Donnarumma - Florenzi (c), Acerbi, Bastoni, Biraghi (Dimarco 80') - Frattesi (Ricci 85'), Cristante, Tonali - Politano (Gnonto 64'), Scamacca (Cancellieri 85'), Pellegrini
Unused subs: Cragno, Meret, Calabria, Pobega, Luis Felipe, Barella, Mancini, Raspadori
Out: Berardi (thigh), Insigne (calf), Spinazzola (unconfirmed), Verratti (calf)
Coach: Roberto Mancini
Germany: Neuer (c) - Kehrer, Süle, Rüdiger, Henrichs (Hofmann 58') - Kimmich, Goretzka (Gündogan 69') - Gnabry (Raum 80'), Müller (Havertz 69'), Sane (Musiala 58') - Werner
Unused subs: Trapp, Baumann, Tah, L. Nmecha, Klostermann, Brandt, Schlotterbeck
Out: Reus (flu)
Coach: Hansi Flick
As it happened!
1 - 1(0 - 0)
Italy
FINAL
Germany
vs
HONOURS EVEN
That's it! Game over in Bologna where Italy and Germany play out a 1-1 draw in their opening Nations League encounter. Pellegrini opened the scoring for the hosts in the 70th minute but Bayern Munich's Kimmich slammed home an equaliser soon afterwards as Hansi Flick's men picked up a point.
90' +4
vs
Cancellieri
90'
vs
TIME ADDED ON
We'll have four minutes of injury time.
88'
vs
Werner
86'
vs
DRAW ON THE CARDS
The game has slowed considerably since the goals, with a host of substitutions and fouls failing to aid with the flow of the contest. Are we headed for a draw here?
85'
vs
Cancellieri
Scamacca
85'
vs
Ricci
Frattesi
83'
vs
Havertz
80'
vs
David Raum
Serge Gnabry
80'
vs
Biraghi
Dimarco
77'
vs
GUNDOGAN EFFORT
Musiala flicks a pass back for Gundogan whose shot is saved by Donnarumma.
69'
vs
Gundogan
Goretzka
69'
vs
Havertz
Thomas Müller
73'
vs
COOL HAND KIMMICH
Germany hit straight back and it's Kimmich who slams home the equaliser!
70'
vs
ITALY IN FRONT
The cross from substitute Gnonto is knocked in from close range by Pellegrini and the hosts take the lead.
68'
vs
GERMANY BUILDING
A superb build up by Germany sees Müller feed Goretzka who in turn picks out Musiala on the right. The Bayern Munich attacker just fails to make proper contact and scuffs wide. Pity.
66'
vs
TONALI YELLOW
Tonali pulls down Gnabry, who was in full flight. The Italy midfielder goes into the book.
64'
vs
Tonali
64'
vs
Gnonto
Politano
61'
vs
BOOKINGS
Kehrer is booked for a foul and after Florenzi gets a little too involved with his protests, both players are booked.
61'
vs
Florenzi
61'
vs
Kehrer
58'
vs
Jonas Hofmann
Benjamin Henrichs
58'
vs
Jamal Musiala
Leroy Sané
54'
vs
ALL ITALY
Politano this time works room for himself on the right before shaping to shoot and unleashing a left-footed effort that fizzes over the crossbar.
52'
vs
OVERHEAD KICK
Pellegrini tees up his teammate Scamacca who has his back to goal. No problem for the forward who flicks the ball up and goes for the overhead kick. Neuer saves, gratefully holding onto the ball.
48'
vs
ITALY DANGER
Scamacca is proving a bit of a handful for Germany. The Italian attacker feeds a cute pass in for Tonali who just fails to get there ahead of Neuer.
49'
vs
Pellegrini
47'
vs
SCAMACCA'S BIG MISS
The ball is crossed into the Germany area and hangs perfectly for Scamacca, who somehow heads off target when wonderfully placed. That was a let off for Germany.
46'
vs
GAME (BACK) ON !
The second half is underway in Bologna ...
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HALF TIME
We head into the break with the teams level. No goals, but plenty of incident here in Bologna in this Nations League encounter.
43'
vs
BREAK APPROACHING
Germany are playing a bit of keep ball as we enter the closing stages of what has been a highly entertaining first half.
38'
vs
GNABRY OFF TARGET
A touch of pinball enabled by Goretzka and Werner and the ball is chested into the path of Gnabry, who smashes over the crossbar. That was an excellent chance for Germany.
37'
vs
AZZURRI AGAIN
Frattesi blasts over when well positioned. Time for Germany to go on the attack ...
33'
vs
POST FOR ITALY
This is an intriguing encounter, no doubt. Just when it looks like Germany are back in the ascendency, Italy go down the other end and hit the post. Scamacca's shot from outside the area beats Neuer but clips the outsise of the upright.
31'
vs
WERNER DANGER
Werner is lathered in sweat and is continuing to put in a shift here as he chases anything and everything up front for Germany. The 26-year-old is unlucky with his latest attempt to create danger, the ball just nipping out of play.
24'
vs
END-TO-END
Germany hit back. Timo Werner gets to the byline and cuts a superb pass all the way back into the path of Müller, whose low drive is blocked out.
23'
vs
AZZURRI ON THE UP
Roberto Mancini's men have certainly grown more into this game as the half has progressed. Still no clear cut chances for the hosts but Germany need to be wary of their opponents who have their tails up right now.
18'
vs
ASSURED SÜLE
Superb work from Süle to slide in and deny Lorenzo Pellegrini inside the Germany area. The assistant's flag is subsequently raised, but that shouldn't take away from the intense focus and tracking from the future Borussia Dortmund defender.
14'
vs
SANE HAS A POP
Some lovely work from Sane here, the Germany No.10 jinking in from the right, beating a couple of men and then drawing a save from Donnarumma.
12'
vs
GORETZKA GLIMPSE
The Bayern Munich man has the ball at his feet on the penalty spot and looks to be about to shoot when Bastoni gets in to clear the danger.
9'
vs
SCAMACCA SCHEMING
Scamacca breaks down the left, gets into the Germany area and drills a shot across Neuer and narrowly wide of the far post. The assistant raises his flag for an offside in the buildup to that move.
5'
vs
SANE SET-PIECES
A couple of corners in quick succession taken by Sane come to nothing. Müller then loops a header at the target which Donnarumma claims easily.
3'
vs
VISITORS DOMINATING
It's all Germany in these opening stages with Hansi Flick's men camped in the Italian final third and passing it around nicely. Thomas Müller has been looking particularly menacing for the visitors.
1'
vs
PEEEEEEEEEP!
Kick off! The action is underway between these two international powerhouses.
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HERE COME THE TEAMS !
Both sides head for the pitch amid a terrific atmosphere. We're all set for the anthems ....
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LATEST STANDINGS
A quick glance at the Nations League Group A3 table sees Hungary on top after their 1-0 win against England earlier. RB Leipzig's Dominik Szoboszlai scored the only goal of that game from the penalty spot. After this evening's encounter in Italy, Germany are scheduled to host England in Munich on Tuesday. But ... let's not get ahead of ourselves.