LATE WINNER DOES JOB FOR SLUGGISH GERMANY

GERMANY grabbed a morale-boosting late win over a Dutch side who had smashed four goals past Scotland last week. However, Scotland’s Euro 2024 openinggame opponents came nowhere near the heights they showed with a win in France at the weekend. Julian Nagelsmann’s men blew the French away in Lyon, but they were very flat in a poor display in Frankfurt, which may offer Steve Clarke a glimmer of encouragement. Had the Dutch not been wasteful in front of goal, they could have inflicted a damaging defeat. Germany were sluggish, vulnerable defensively and fortunate to win. They were a goal down inside four minutes and although Maximilian Mittelstadt quickly levelled, they struggled to test Virgil van Dijk and Co after that. Their late winner, from Niclas Fullkrug, was hotly disputed. Nagelsmann went with the same starting XI that were so impressive against Ronald Koeman’s side. The only two decisions he is likely to have ahead of the Scotland opener will be whether to stick with Barcelona keeper MarcAndre ter Stegen or recall the injured Manuel Neuer. And he will have to see if Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane, suspended last night, can dislodge any of the three forwards — Jamal Musiala,

Ilkay Gundogan or Florian Wirtz — who play behind Arsenal striker Kai Havertz. None of those front four attacking options were as impressive here as they had been on Saturday. After an emotional tribute to Franz Beckenbauer, the German defence were breached early on when PSV Eindhoven star and one-time Rangers target Joey Veerman volleyed in Memphis Depay’s cross with the hosts, especially Jonathan Tah and Mittelstadt, looking suspect under pressure. But Mittelstadt soon made up for it as the Germans levelled just six minutes later. A short corner caused the Dutch problems, the ball was rolled back perfectly by Musiala for Mittelstadt and the Stuttgart left-back fired in a brilliant effort from 25 yards for a goal in just his second start.

However, Germany did look vulnerable from set-pieces and Gundogan had to clear a header from Matthijs de Ligt off his own line. The Dutch had Germany pinned back at the start of the second half and Borussia Dortmund striker Donyell Malen forced a fine save from Ter Stegen. AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders missed a sitter at the back post with just the keeper to beat as the Dutch cut open the Germans on the counterattack before Depay missed from point blank range. Thomas Muller won his 128th cap and the Germans did pick it up in search of a winner. They got a controversial one with five minutes to go when Fullkrug’s header was adjudged to have crossed the line despite the Dutch team’s desperate protests.