Frankfurt: Niclas Fuellkrug’s 84th-minute header gave Euro 2024 hosts Germany a 2-1 win in a friendly in Frankfurt on Tuesday.
With 17 minutes remaining, the Borussia Dortmund forward dived to head a Toni Kroos corner high, with goal-line technology confirming the ball had crossed the line.
Germany were forced into the game from behind and conceded after just four minutes, with Joey Veerman capitalizing on sloppy defending by Maximilian Mittelstaedt to put the Dutch in front.
Mittelstaedt, who is playing just his second game for Germany, made up for his mistake soon after and unleashed a stunning strike from outside to level the scores on the 10-minute mark.
The win continues Germany’s recent upswing in form, the second in a row less than three months from hosting Euro 2024.
Kroos, recalled to the German side after retiring from international duty in 2021, told RTL “I am confident that we will have a good tournament.”
“I’m proud of the team. We came out of a difficult moment. We have the momentum and belief back, even though we didn’t start the game well.”
“A few months ago we might have fallen in a heap, but that didn’t happen. We played two very good friendlies – it’s just a shame that we won’t get any points for it (at the Euros).”
Germany entered the match on a wave of optimism rarely seen in recent years, buoyed by Saturday’s convincing 2-0 win over France after a disappointing 2023 in which they won just three of their 11 matches.
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Julian Nagelsmann selected an unchanged XI, but unlike Saturday’s fast start, where Florian Wirtz put Germany ahead after just seven seconds, the Dutch pounced on an error to open the scoring after four minutes.
After an impressive debut against France, Mittelstaedt was the culprit, whose poor pass found Memphis Depay, who got in behind Veerman to score.
However, Mittelstaedt made up for his mistake and unleashed an incredible shot from outside the box that rocketed wide of the crossbar.
Jamal Musiala, who set up the equalizer with a delicate pass, almost made another post in the 17th minute when he expertly turned the ball to Kai Havertz, but the Arsenal forward’s shot was straight at the keeper.
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman made seven changes to the squad that beat Scotland 4-0 on Friday.
Despite the visitors looking disjointed and rarely troubling the German defence, the visitors were able to tear the game away after an early surge and had few chances for either side in the second period.
Nagelsmann brought in the old for the young, replacing Havvertz and Wirtz with veterans Thomas Mueller and Fuellkrug, with Germany immediately looking better.
Musiala forced a desperate save moments later as Germany piled on the pressure, with Fuellkrug putting the visitors ahead shortly after, his 11th goal in 15 internationals.
