Virgil van Dijk’s late equaliser gave the Netherlands a dramatic route into the Nations League semifinals after a 2-2 draw with Germany in Gelsenkirchen on 20 November 2018.
The Liverpool defender struck in the 91st minute, completing a comeback that also featured Quincy Promes’ goal in the 85th minute. The result was enough for the Dutch to finish top of Group One and move ahead of France on the final night of the group stage.
Germany had looked in control early on after Timo Werner and Leroy Sane put them 2-0 up inside 20 minutes. But Joachim Loew’s side failed to finish the job, and the Dutch punished them with two late goals in the final six minutes.
Van Dijk called the result “a fantastic feeling” and said the squad deserved credit for the run they had put together. “We should all be proud of ourselves. I know I am,” he said. “We worked so hard every game and to get rewards for that is fantastic.”
He also pointed to the bigger picture for the Netherlands, who had missed out on Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup. The defender said the main target was still Euro 2020, even with the Nations League semifinals now secured.
“If we can win the Nations League, fantastic, but we all want to make sure we’re at the European Championships and do very well there to make our country proud,” he added.
Head coach Ronald Koeman said his team had not produced their best football, but praised their response after a difficult first half. He said Germany were sharper and faster before the break, but the Dutch kept pressing and made their late chances count.
Koeman added that the comeback was built on belief as much as quality. “We didn’t play great football, it wasn’t our best performance, but it was enough,” he said.
Loew, meanwhile, admitted Germany had paid for not closing out the match. He said the defeat was a lesson for a young side and noted that only three 2014 World Cup winners started the game: Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer.
Thomas Mueller reached 100 Germany appearances as a second-half substitute, while Sane stood out for the hosts despite the collapse. Germany had ended the year with a 3-0 win over Russia the previous Thursday, but the draw with the Dutch capped a miserable 2018.
The Germans suffered a record six defeats in the last 12 months, exited the World Cup bottom of their group, and were relegated to the Nations League’s B division. Loew, whose contract runs until the 2022 World Cup, remains in charge and is expected to stay on through Euro 2020.
“It’s been a very disappointing year after the World Cup didn’t go the way we wanted it to,” Loew said. “However, I have the feeling we are on a good path with these players and will be successful again with this young team.”
