Jürgen Klopp had predicted his bow as Germany manager could be wild, a trait he would accept as long as his team looked lively. He got both in a strange, frayed and at times alarmingly pinball-like game that ended with a dramatic Netherlands equaliser and mounting injury worries. Felix Nmecha’s first-half goal, scored to the chagrin of opponents who felt play should have stopped with Brian Brobbey requiring treatment, seemed to have provided an early shot of positivity.
But a brilliant added-time strike from Cody Gakpo, volleyed in from Ruben van Bommel’s delicious cross, earned the home side a deserved draw to the delight of their debutant head coach Xavi. The fitness of Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz, who both pulled up lame, may be a longer-term preoccupation for Klopp than this skittish defensive display and will set alarm bells ringing at their clubs.
This fixture no longer contains much of the spite, or indeed spit, that marked some of its past incarnations. It may remain one of Europe’s great international rivalries but the motivations were more inward-looking here, the occasion a laboratory for new ideas and fresh beginnings. “Welkom Xavi” read a banner from the Netherlands’ supporters, keen to embrace their own dawn. When Klopp’s name was read out before kick-off, the tranche of travelling fans in the north-east corner yelled their approval.
Klopp had named a sprawling 44-man squad for this similarly protracted Nations League break, half contesting Germany’s first two games and half the second. It contained names that had even forced seasoned Bundesliga watchers to double-take but the only newcomer picked to start here was Philipp Treu, the Freiburg right-back. Brentford’s Kevin Schade was also selected; the remainder looked familiar although Musiala, feeling his thigh in the warm-up, was replaced before kick-off by Nadiem Amiri.
The possibilities were more limited for Xavi, whose options lack real stardust. Nonetheless he was punching the air in the 13th minute when, following the first spell of pressure from his charges, Virgil van Dijk glanced in Tijjani Reijnders’ corner. It seemed Van Dijk, once such a cherished lieutenant of Klopp’s, had struck a blow for the manager who persuaded him to continue as the Netherlands’ captain. Instead the video assistant referee intervened, deciding Brobbey had impeded the flailing Marc-André ter Stegen. The recalled keeper, now operating here domestically with Ajax, seemed fortunate.
Klopp had naturally promised “intense football” but found his start beset by problems. Next up was an injury to Havertz, who went down near halfway and was quickly replaced by the Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib. The substitute immediately stung Bart Verbruggen’s palms but Klopp was receiving an earlier glimpse of his eager new brood than he might have wished.
Something was starting to fizz for those seeking fireworks, Jan Paul van Hecke entering the book for a crunching challenge on Schade. Boiling point arrived when Joshua Kimmich played on despite there initially appearing an appetite to kick the ball out. The move continued and Nmecha ended up converting the rebound after Karim Adeyemi’s close-range effort had been blocked, the Dutch players making their feelings known as a scuffle broke up on the far touchline.
Klopp was off the mark and Germany should have had another when Nathaniel Brown squared to an open Adeyemi, who spooned horribly over. By then Brobbey had gone the same way as Havertz but the Netherlands could nonetheless have been level by half-time, Crysencio Summerville and Cody Gakpo both working Ter Stegen.
Perhaps still seething, Xavi’s players re-emerged at high tempo but lacked subtlety to complement their speed. Germany, brisk but slack, were hardly exhibiting greater accuracy. Adeyemi sliced painfully off target again, this time from an angle after Schade had collected a loose pass, in a sequence that spoke of the prevailing scrappiness.
A smart backheel on the hour by Mexx Meerdink, making his debut as Brobbey’s replacement, improved the spectacle and sent Denzel Dumfries clear inside the box. Ter Stegen, imperious when faced by shots if not set pieces, blocked with a foot. Then another Netherlands corner wreaked havoc, Meerdink again denied by Ter Stegen before blasting into the net after the whistle had, to the hosts’ further dismay, been blown for a foul.
Meerdink could only point to himself when, in front of goal, he somehow diverted a Dumfries centre wide on the stretch. The Netherlands should at least have been level as the minutes started to tick down.
By the end they were, Gakpo profiting from a tantalising delivery by the outside of Van Bommel’s boot.
