WATCH: Netherlands Scores 2 Late, Draws Germany to Win Nations League Group
The Netherlands needed a win or draw to win its UEFA Nations League group, and it eventually got the result it required–the hard way.
Goals from Quincy Promes and Virgil Van Dijk in the last six minutes overturned a 2-0 deficit and salvaged a 2-2 draw, which was enough to pip France to first place in League A Group 1 and secure a spot in next summer's four-team finals tournament.
France and the Netherlands tied on points, but the Dutch held the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two after ending France's 15-game unbeaten streak with a 2-1 win last week. They'll join England, Portugal and Switzerland in the semifinals. Germany, which had already been relegated, was trying to play spoiler and nearly did after early goals from Timo Werner and Leroy Sane, but the hosts were wasteful with their chances to put the match away and left the door open to a wild finish.
Germany came out looking to strike immediately, with Thilo Kehrer being sprung down the right-hand side before he fired a powerful shot wide of Jasper Cillessen's net in the opening minute.
Germany didn't have to wait much longer to take the lead. Werner hit a volley off the bounce after heading Serge Gnabry's outside-of-the-boot assist to himself, giving Germany a 1-0 edge in the ninth minute.
The Netherlands looked to strike back after winning a free kick 20 yards from goal, but Memphis Depay had his initial kick blocked by the wall and his follow-up effort off the rebound denied as well, keeping Germany ahead.
On the other end, Sane doubled the lead for the hosts. Toni Kroos picked out the Man City star with a deep ball from the midfield, and after recovering to regain complete control, Sane had a deflected, low chance beat Cillessen to make it 2-0 in the 19th minute.
Gnabry nearly made it 3-0 in the 40th minute, with his glancing header after a near-post run bouncing just wide of the far post after beating Cillessen.
Germany didn't relent after halftime, and Werner very nearly got his second just after the hour mark. He was played in behind the defense and raced towards goal on the left side of the box before pushing his chance wide of the target. It wound up being his last act of the night, as Marco Reus came on in his place in the 63rd minute. Jogi Low went to his bench a few minutes after that again, bringing on World Cup-winner Thomas Muller for his 100th cap, making the Bayern Munich star the 11th player in Germany men's national team history to hit that mark.
Netherlands pushed to get back into the game, and the lifeline it needed nearly came from Memphis in the 78th minute, when he tested Manuel Neuer with a tight-angled shot from the left, only to have it put out for a corner with the Bayern stopper's kick save.
The lifeline came seven minutes later. With the Netherlands attacking in desperation, Promes had the ball played to him 18 yards out, and he turned and curled an impressive finish by a diving Neuer to set up a frenetic finish.
The Dutch got the second goal they were seeking as stoppage time hit. Van Dijk, the Liverpool center back playing as a makeshift forward, impressively volleyed home from the doorstep to make it 2-2 and put the Netherlands through and deliver the struggling Germans another setback after a match they had generally controlled.
Here were the lineups for both sides:
The Nations League group stage concludes Tuesday, with Portugal and Poland wrapping up play in League A. The Portuguese, without Cristiano Ronaldo, have already secured their semifinal place, while Poland will be joining Germany in going down to League B for the next competition.
