Germany looked set to leave with the win against the Netherlands, until a late intervention from Ruben van Bommel changed the final minutes of the contest.
With the clock at 91 minutes and only two more minutes of added time remaining, the 22-year-old PSV Eindhoven forward created the equaliser for Cody Gakpo on his Netherlands debut.
Quick facts
- Ruben van Bommel made his Netherlands debut at the age of 22.
- The PSV Eindhoven attacker is the son of former Netherlands midfielder Mark van Bommel.
- His assist arrived in the 91st minute against Germany.
- Cody Gakpo finished the move to secure a point for the Netherlands.
Van Bommel spotted Gakpo arriving unmarked from deeper in the attack, with the forward signalling for the ball as he broke into space. The pass that followed was delivered with the outside of Van Bommel’s right boot, curling in a wide arc across the German defence.
Gakpo met it with a straightforward finish, denying Jurgen Klopp’s Germany a result that had appeared secure for much of the evening.
For Van Bommel, the assist made an immediate mark on his first appearance for Oranje. It was a composed, inventive contribution from a player carrying a famous Dutch surname, and one that rescued the Netherlands when defeat seemed close.
