Germany edge Netherlands in play-off thriller
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Article summary
Germany 3-3 Netherlands (aet, 5-4 on penalties)
A game that burst into life in the 81st minute was settled as the Dutch twice hit the bar in the shoot-out.
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Article body
- Germany beat Netherlands in dramatic FIFA U-20 World Cup play-off
- U19 hosts triumph 5-4 on penalties in Sandhausen
- Phillipp Ochs scores at second attempt after Maximilian Mittelstädt's long ball (44)
- Germany forward now has four goals for tournament after hat-trick against Portugal
- Right-back Phil Neumann has header cleared off line as Germany seek to extend lead
- Abdelhak Nouri finds top corner with fine free-kick to bring Netherlands level (81)
- Dennis van der Heijden's looping header from Calvin Verdonk cross puts Dutch ahead
- Germany pile forward and force extra time thanks to Suat Serdar's header (90+3)
- Mittelstädt's pass springs the Dutch offside trap and Marvin Mehlem slips low shot in (96)
- Netherlands' Michel Vlap comes on under new trial of fourth substitution in extra time
- Sam Lammers converts another Verdonk pass to make it 3-3 (111)
- Amara Conde puts Germany's third penalty of shoot-out wide
- Netherlands' Nouri and Vlap hit bar; Benjamin Henrichs converts winning kick
Reaction
Guido Streichsbier, Germany coach
Today a dominant German team deservedly took the lead. The Netherlands came back into when they switched to two strikers. After that we had some problems in several situations.
I congratulate my boys for an extraordinarily strong performance mentally. I told the players before the game they have an outstanding character but didn't give them enough credit for that. I'm particularly happy they came back several times and managed to win it. In the penalty shoot-out the Dutch players' aim was awry twice, luckily for us.
We have played four top-level games and were the better team against Italy, Austria and today, and in parts against Portugal. So this tournament was not a bad one for us.
Aron Winter, Netherlands coach
It was an exciting game. Germany controlled it for the first 60 minutes, then we came back and got in front, then gave it away at the last minute. Germany started extra time well, we got level again and we could have gone in front – but so could they. Penalties are like a lottery.
