Amsterdam’s Nations League opener brought a familiar kind of international tension: Netherlands attacking into a loud home night, Germany resisting, and VAR twice changing the shape of the contest. Cody Gakpo’s stoppage-time volley earned the Dutch a 1-1 draw after Felix Nmecha had put Germany ahead.
Quick facts
- Netherlands and Germany drew 1-1 in Amsterdam in their UEFA Nations League opening match.
- Virgil van Dijk and substitute Mexx Meerdink had Dutch goals ruled out after VAR reviews.
- Felix Nmecha scored Germany’s opener after Karim Adeyemi redirected Nathaniel Brown’s cross.
- Gakpo equalised in the 92nd minute from Ruben van Bommel’s outside-of-the-foot delivery.
The hosts began with authority and believed they had taken the lead after 15 minutes. Van Dijk rose to meet a corner and headed beyond Marc-André ter Stegen, only for the referee to review the incident at the monitor.
The goal was cancelled because Brian Brobbey was judged to have obstructed the German goalkeeper’s path. The decision left the Dutch searching again for a breakthrough in a match already carrying an edge.
Germany then struck around the half-hour, amid Dutch complaints that Brobbey had been fouled at the other end. Brown’s cross was helped on by Adeyemi, allowing Nmecha space inside the six-yard box to drive his finish into the top-left corner.
Adeyemi could have extended the visitors’ advantage before the interval but lifted his close-range effort over. Netherlands responded through Crysencio Summerville’s header, while Gakpo forced ter Stegen into a one-handed save after a German error playing out from the back.
The Dutch pressure continued after the restart, and Meerdink thought he had levelled after arriving on a loose ball following a succession of incomplete clearances. His finish struck the post and crossed the line, but the referee again intervened for a foul in Germany’s favour before the move.
Germany appeared set to protect their narrow lead until the 92nd minute. Ruben van Bommel dispossessed Serge Gnabry on the left, surged forward and bent an outside-of-the-foot cross into the centre.
Gakpo met it first time with a clean volley, giving ter Stegen no chance and finally delivering the equaliser the home side’s persistence had demanded. The finish sealed a draw in Amsterdam after a night in which Netherlands had twice been denied before finding their late response.
