Germany advance as Leweling debut goal secures 1-0 win over Dutch

Germany secured a spot in the Nations League quarter-finals on Monday, with midfielder Jamie Leweling marking his international debut by scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in Group A3.

The 23-year-old Leweling, one of two debutants for Germany, initially found the back of the net just two minutes into the game, but the goal was disallowed for offside. However, he made his mark in the 64th minute, blasting a shot into the top corner after the Dutch defense failed to clear a corner properly.

With this victory, Germany sits comfortably at the top of the group with 10 points from four games, ensuring their place in the quarter-finals. The Netherlands trails behind by five points, tied with Hungary on points but ahead on goal difference. Bosnia lags at the bottom of the table with only one point, following their 2-0 defeat to Hungary.

Reflecting on the match, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said, “The first half was exceptionally good. After the break, the Netherlands made some adjustments, and we didn’t defend as well, but we fully deserved the win. Our goal is to win the remaining matches and maintain consistency in our results.”

Germany dominated from the outset, creating multiple scoring opportunities, with Tim Kleindienst and Maximilian Mittelstaedt coming close to adding to the scoreline. The Netherlands, under coach Ronald Koeman, struggled to find their rhythm and were on the defensive for much of the match.

In the second half, Germany continued to press, with Serge Gnabry almost doubling the lead in the 54th minute. But it was Leweling who ultimately secured the win, driving home his shot and giving Germany a well-earned lead.

The Dutch, largely quiet for most of the game, had a rare moment of hope in the 77th minute when Xavi Simons’ shot hit the crossbar. Just moments later, Mittelstaedt saw his own effort narrowly miss the target after a deflection.

Dutch coach Ronald Koeman expressed his disappointment with the performance, saying, “Germany was the better, faster, and physically stronger team. They created more chances, and we lost too many balls in midfield. Our plan was to press higher, especially on the right side, but we didn’t execute it.”

Germany’s debutant goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, at 34 years old, also made a significant impact. In the 90th minute, he preserved Germany’s lead with a crucial save, punching away a powerful shot from Donyell Malen, securing Germany’s victory and their quarter-final berth.