On 20 November 2018, Virgil van Dijk’s stoppage-time equaliser completed a remarkable Dutch comeback and sent the Netherlands into the Nations League semi-finals after a 2-2 draw with Germany at the Veltins-Arena.
The Liverpool defender finished from close range after Tonny Vilhena delivered the cross, capping a late surge that transformed a match Germany had controlled for long stretches.
Germany had gone into half-time 2-0 up through Timo Werner and Leroy Sane. Sane, who was left out of the World Cup squad, added another goal to his recent run, but it was not enough to protect Joachim Low’s side from a collapse after the break.
The Dutch response began with Quincy Promes, who pulled one back five minutes before Van Dijk’s equaliser by drilling home from the edge of the box. Earlier in the match, Daley Blind’s deflected cross had come closest for the visitors when it skimmed the top of the net.
Germany also had chances to settle the contest in the second half. Werner twice missed opportunities, first shooting straight at Jasper Cillessen from close range and then firing wide after a pass from Serge Gnabry. Thomas Muller, making his 100th appearance for Germany after coming on as a substitute, nearly set up a third goal, but his cut-back was behind Sane.
The result meant the Netherlands finished top of Group A1 ahead of world champions France and booked a place in next summer’s finals alongside England, Portugal and Switzerland. Germany, already relegated to the second tier after a 2-1 defeat in France the previous month, remained in trouble and faced the possibility of dropping into the group of second seeds for Euro 2020 qualifying if Poland beat Portugal on Tuesday evening.
For Van Dijk, the goal was another sign of his growing influence in attack. He has now scored two goals in his last three appearances, after managing only one in his previous 18 games before the Nations League began.
