Netherlands battled back from 2-0 down in the second half but a 90th minute strike from Nico Schulz gave Germany a 3-2 victory in Amsterdam.

On the day that Dutch football lost Johan Cruijff three-years-ago, the Johan Cruijff ArenA hosted Netherlands against Germany. Ronald Koeman made one change from the side that beat Belarus with Quincy Promes replacing Steven Bergwijn.

Serge Gnabry tested Jasper Cillessen in the opening few minutes as Germany made a bright start. Netherlands came into the game but in the 15th minute Germany took the lead. A Matthijs de Ligt slip in the box gave Leroy Sane time to fire a Schulz cross past Cillessen.

Netherlands should have been level by the half-hour mark but Ryan Babel was twice denied by Manuel Neuer from close range.

The hosts were getting on top but in the 35th minute, Gnabry latched onto a ball over the top, skipped past Virgil van Dijk and sent an unstoppable strike into the top corner to put Germany 2-0 ahead.

It should have been 3-0 before the break but Cillessen made a great save to deny Sane.

For the second half, Babel was taken off for Steven Bergwijn and Netherlands got themselves quickly back into the game. A wonderful Memphis cross was headed into the net by De Ligt.

The goal lifted confidence in the ArenA and just after the hour mark, Memphis equalised with a low strike into the bottom corner.

Netherlands went looking for a winner but couldn’t find it and in the last minute Germany snatched victory. Marco Reus picked out Schulz in the box and he fired past Cillessen to give Germany the win.

Netherlands stay on three points in the group and are now behind Northern Ireland who made it two out of two with a 2-1 victory over Belarus. Next up for Netherlands is the Nations League tie with England. In September, Netherlands travel to Germany.




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