Cody Gakpo rescued a point for the Netherlands in stoppage time, curling home a stunning volley to secure a 1-1 draw against Germany and spoil Jurgen Klopp’s first match in charge of Die Mannschaft in the Nations League.
Felix Nmecha had given Germany the lead in the first half, but the Dutch dominated for long stretches under new boss Xavi Hernandez, who took charge of his first match at the helm.
Their pressure finally paid off when Ruben van Bommel whipped in a dangerous cross that Gakpo met with a first-time finish to snatch a deserved equalizer.
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Germany’s night took a further hit when injuries struck two key players. Jamal Musiala withdrew from the starting lineup after picking up a thigh problem in the warm-up, while Kai Havertz limped off before halftime both worrying signs with three more fixtures looming this international break.
Klopp stepped into the Germany job after the team crashed out in the last 32 at this summer’s World Cup, marking their third consecutive early exit from a major tournament.
Looking to shake things up, he called eighteen new faces into his squad but trusted only one debutant, defender Philipp Treu, in his starting eleven.
The Dutch also turned to a marquee appointment, handing the reins to former Barcelona midfield general Xavi for his managerial bow.
Germany started brightly, mirroring the high-energy approach synonymous with Klopp. The hosts thought they’d broken through in the 15th minute when Virgil van Dijk nodded home from a corner, but a lengthy VAR check wiped the goal off the board.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen looked shaky between the posts on his first appearance since June 2025, repeatedly surrendering possession cheaply and stoking Dutch pressure.
Yet it was Germany who struck first, against the run of play, in the 32nd minute Brian Brobbey went down injured in midfield, but with play waved on, Karim Adeyemi slid a pass through for Nmecha to slot home. Adeyemi should have doubled the lead moments later but blazed over from point-blank range with the goal gaping.
The Dutch kept knocking on the door after the interval. Mexx Meerdink scuffed a golden chance wide in the 66th minute, and Germany looked set to hold on for an unlikely away win until van Bommel surged down the left in stoppage time and floated a pinpoint cross over the German backline. Gakpo arrived to hammer it home and level the score.
Elsewhere, reigning Nations League champions Portugal opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon, courtesy of Joao Felix’s deflected long-range effort.
Portugal controlled the game from start to finish, out-shooting Wales 19-4, but wasted a host of opportunities to add to their tally. The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute when Felix’s low, scuffed shot from outside the box clipped off Wales captain Ben Davies and squeezed past a diving Danny Ward.
Cristiano Ronaldo remained the focal point of Portugal’s attack, drawing a louder roar from the home crowd with every touch near goal. The 41-year-old, who made his international debut back in 2003 and holds the all-time scoring record with 146 goals, struck the side netting and blazed a great chance over from close range.
He thought he’d found the net himself after the hour mark, only to be flagged offside a decision that left him visibly stunned. He was substituted seven minutes later, still shaking his head, and Portugal’s attacking threat noticeably dimmed after his exit.
Wales twice came close to snatching an equalizer from their best chance of the match. Brennan Johnson first chipped goalkeeper Diogo Costa and struck the crossbar; with Costa out of position, Lewis Koumas and Dan James both raced in for the rebound, but Koumas’s effort went straight at defender Ruben Dias standing on the line.
