Germany survive Italy scare to make Nations League semi finals

Germany survived a spirited second-half fightback from Italy, letting a three-goal lead slip to draw 3-3 in Dortmund on Sunday, before reaching the Nations League semi-finals 5-4 on aggregate.

A first-half Joshua Kimmich masterclass, with a penalty and two assists for Jamal Musiala and Tim Kleindienst, had Germany 3-0 up and cruising at the break.

However, injury-hit Italy kicked into gear in the second half, Moise Kean scoring a double to rattle the hosts.

Italy looked on course to level the scores when they were awarded a penalty with 73 minutes gone, but it was overturned by VAR.

Giacomo Raspadori then converted a stoppage time penalty to give Italy a glimmer of hope.

The result not only secured Germany a first-ever Nations League semi-final spot, but it means the remainder of the tournament will be held on German soil, in Stuttgart and Munich in June.

Despite the second-half scare, the victory continues Germany’s resurgence under Julian Nagelsmann.

Germany’s only loss in their past 17 matches came in extra-time at Euro 2024 against eventual champions Spain in the quarter-finals.

Nagelsmann said Germany “learned lessons for our development” from the game, adding “we know how well we can play football — but we have to show it throughout the game.

“I’m going home with an understanding of what we’re capable of, but it’s also nice that we’ve got a bit more to do,” he said.

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti admitted his side lacked “maturity” and said “you always learn from games like this.”

“The second half was very good, but we were too afraid to play like that for the whole game.”

Italy travelled to Dortmund, the site of their 2006 World Cup semi-final win over the same opponents, with a mountain to climb.

After letting a one-goal lead slip to lose in Milan in the first leg, Italy saw defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Andrea Cambiaso added to an injury list which already included striker Mateo Retegui and left-back Federico Dimarco.

Spalletti spoke pre-match of needing to do “something impossible” and his side were up against it from the get-go as Germany burst out of the blocks.

With Musiala on top form and Nico Schlotterback sending in penetrating passes from the deep, Germany’s breakthrough came from the spot.

Alessandro Buongiorno brought down a surging Kleindienst in the box and Kimmich converted, just the fourth penalty for either club or country in the 30-year-old’s career.

After an acrobatic save to keep out a Kleindienst header by Gianluigi Donnarumma, the quick-thinking Kimmich played the ball fast from the ensuing corner.

The move caught the Italians napping, with Musiala tapping in from close range as the Italian goalkeeper was still remonstrating with the referee.

In the final minute of the half, Donnarumma palmed away a Kleindienst header, but this time could not keep it out, with the home crowd erupting as the referee pointed to his watch to show the ball had crossed the line.

Germany dropped in intensity in the second half and the Italians pounced, Kean latching onto a loose ball and blasting home after 49 minutes.

Spalletti brought on Raspadori and the Napoli man had an immediate impact, threading a pass for Kean to curl a ball past Oliver Baumann’s outstretched arm with 68 minutes played.

The stunned Germans were shocked further five minutes later when they conceded a penalty, but the spot kick was overturned by VAR.

The Italians did eventually get a spot kick in stoppage time, with Raspadori converting, but it was too late as Germany held on to progress on aggregate.

Spain oust Netherlands on penalties 

Nations League holders Spain reached the final four with a 5-4 win on penalties against the Netherlands, after a thrilling 3-3 quarter-final second leg draw on Sunday (5-5 on aggregate).

Donyell Malen missed and Barcelona’s Pedri slotted home to settle a gripping match in which the Netherlands came from behind three times to force the shoot-out.

Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring for Spain but Memphis Depay levelled from the penalty spot.

Oyarzabal grabbed Spain’s second before Ian Maatsen rifled home to force extra-time.

Barcelona starlet Yamal, who also missed a penalty in the shoot-out, scored a brilliant goal to put Spain ahead but Xavi Simons netted another spot-kick to force penalties.

After Spain’s struggles in Rotterdam on Thursday in the 2-2 first-leg draw, coach Luis de la Fuente made a handful of changes.

Oyarzabal and Dani Olmo came in for Alvaro Morata and Pedri, while Dean Huijsen made his first start, against the country of his birth, and excelled.

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman brought in debutant Maatsen at left-back, giving him the unenviable challenge of shackling 17-year-old prodigy Yamal at Valencia’s sold-out Mestalla stadium.

Spain’s success in recent years has inspired their supporters and over 20,000 watched them train ahead of the second leg, which also served as a fundraiser for damage caused by the devastating storms which hit the Valencia region last October.

They won a penalty early on when Jan Paul van Hecke clumsily brought down Oyarzabal, who scored the winning goal for La Roja in the Euro 2024 final last summer.

The Real Sociedad forward took it himself, smashing into the bottom right corner, past Bart Verbruggen’s dive.

Oyarzabal beat the Brighton goalkeeper again a few minutes later with another lethal finish but had strayed offside after a superb dribble by Yamal in the build-up.

Verbruggen denied Nico Williams with a superb stop, after Huijsen stormed forward and slipped the winger in down the left, with Spain rampant but unable to add to their lead in the first half.

Bournemouth centre-back Huijsen, 19, was jeered by the travelling Dutch fans, upset he did not choose to play for them, but Spain supporters backed him in response and he shone.

To the wire 

Netherlands steadied the ship and were able to keep more possession, but not test Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon until after the break.

Koeman’s side levelled after 54 minutes with a penalty of their own when Depay, on his 100th Oranje appearance, threw himself to the ground after tussling with Robin Le Normand.

Despite the hosts’ protests the contentious decision stood and Depay blasted home from the spot.

Spain’s dynamic wingers helped restore their lead with a razor-sharp counter-attack.

Yamal released Williams, who drove into the box and slipped the ball to Oyarzabal. Although Verbruggen saved his attempted dink, the Spaniard headed home the rebound.

Netherlands responded swiftly, capitalising when Olmo gave the ball away inside his area.

Substitute Simons slipped a clever pass to Maatsen on the left and the Aston Villa defender brilliantly rifled into the top corner to force extra-time.

De la Fuente sent on Pedri and Arsenal’s Mikel Merino, who salvaged Spain a draw in the first leg, and his team took the lead after 103 minutes.

Huijsen lofted the ball into Yamal’s path and the winger controlled it on the run and beat Maatsen before pulling off an exquisite finish.

The Dutch battled back for a third time, with Simons winning and converting a penalty in the 109th minute. Spain goalkeeper Simon brought down the RB Leipzig attacker, who made no mistake from the spot.

Simon made amends with a smart save in the 120th minute to deny Donyell Malen, taking the tie to a shoot-out.

Both sides netted their first three penalties with great precision, before Netherlands’ Lang hit the crossbar and Verbruggen saved a tame Yamal effort.

In sudden death Simon dived to his left to save from Malen and Pedri coolly sent Spain through to the semis.

Portugal defeat Denmark after extra time 

Portugal beat Denmark 5-3 on aggregate to reach the Nations League semi-finals on Sunday, winning a pulsating last-eight second-leg 5-2 after extra-time.

Portugal will now face Germany in June after overcoming a 1-0 first leg deficit.

Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty but later scored before Francisco Trincao’s double set Portugal on course for the last four.

France beat Croatia on penalties 

France beat Croatia 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out on Sunday to seal a place in the final four of the UEFA Nations League after their quarter-final tie had ended 2-2 on aggregate.

Les Bleus won 2-0 on the night at the Stade de France to wipe out their first-leg deficit, with Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele scoring their goals in normal time. Dayot Upamecano converted their winning penalty in the shoot-out to set up a semi-final