TOTTENHAM FORWARD STEVEN Bergwijn came off the bench to equalise for the Netherlands in a 1-1 friendly draw against Germany in Amsterdam on Tuesday.
After Thomas Mueller had put the Germans ahead just before the break, Bergwijn crashed in the equaliser as the Dutch dominated the second half.
Eight months before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar, both European heavyweights took the chance to look at their playing options.
Germany head coach Hansi Flick was denied a ninth straight victory since taking charge last September.
The Germans took a deserved lead after superb work by teenager Jamal Musiala in the build up to Mueller’s goal. The Bayern Munich starlet sprinted onto a ball in the area and passed across to Kai Havertz, who was heavily marked by Tyrell Malacia.
The ball was cleared only as far as Mueller, who curled in his shot from the edge of the area and punched the air after his 43rd goal for Germany.
It was 1-0 to Germany at the break, but the Dutch responded in the second half and drew level when Spurs forward Bergwijn came off the bench. When Frenkie De Jong played a diagonal ball to the baseline, Denzel Dumfries headed back for Bergwijn to fire home.
The Dutch were then awarded a penalty midway through the second half when Thilo Kehrer looked to have fouled Memphis Depay. However, the referee reversed the decision after watching the replay.
Serdar Dursun pulled one back with seven minutes left but Gianluigi Donnarumma, who had a wobbly evening, stopped the Fenerbahce forward from heading Turkey level moments later with a superb save.
Mancini is expected to confirm that he is staying on as Italy coach despite his team being beaten by North Macedonia in Thursday’s play-off semi-final and selected a starting XI which featured a clutch of fringe players.
Mancini, 57, has a contract which runs until the 2026 World Cup and hinted heavily on Monday that he would not step down.
This week on the Front Row – The42’s new rugby podcast in partnership with Guinness – panellist Eimear Considine makes a welcome return… and she’s brought her Ireland roommate, Hannah O’Connor, along too. They chat about broken noses, tanning routines, initiation songs and balancing the Women’s Six Nations with teaching, plus how one fan named her child after Ireland winger Beibhinn Parsons! Click here to subscribe or listen below:
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