MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -Germany booked a place in the Nations League quarter-finals on Monday after midfielder Jamie Leweling enjoyed a dream international debut by scoring the winner in a hard-fought 1-0 home success over the Netherlands in Group A3.
The 23-year-old Leweling, one of two Germany debutants, had the ball in the net in the second minute but his effort was ruled offside. He did score in the 64th though, firing into the top corner after the Dutch failed to properly clear a corner.
Germany are top on 10 points from four matches and guaranteed a place in the last eight, with the Dutch five points behind in second ahead of Hungary on goal difference. Bosnia are bottom with one point after losing 2-0 to the Hungarians.
“We won as a team. I scored but we played a good game and I am happy to have helped,” Leweling said.
“The Dutch are a big team. We let them run, we kept possession and used our chances to score.”
The Germans had the visitors on the back foot from the start and apart from Leweling’s goal they had more chances to score through Tim Kleindienst and Maximilian Mittelstaedt as the Netherlands struggled to find a way into the game.
The hosts kept the pressure up after the break and again came close through Serge Gnabry in the 54th before Leweling drilled in the winner.
The Dutch were anonymous for most of the game but almost scored with their first chance when Xavi Simons’ shot bounced off the bar in the 77th just minutes before Mittelstaedt saw his own deflected effort sail narrowly wide of the post.
Like Leweling, it was another Germany newcomer, 34-year-old keeper Oliver Baumann, who made an impact when he preserved their lead in the 90th minute, superbly punching a powerful Doneyll Malen shot wide.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris)
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