Germany fought back to secure a 3-2 victory over Netherlands at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, while Belgium eased to a 2-0 Euro 2020 qualifying win in Cyprus.
Netherlands vs Germany
Nico Schulz scored a superb last-minute winner as Germany survived a Netherlands fightback in Amsterdam to earn a gripping 3-2 victory in Group C of Euro 2020 qualifying.
Germany coach Joachim Low named a side without a striker, but goals from wingers Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane, symbols of their new generation, established a 2-0 half-time lead.
Germany earned revenge for last year’s 3-0 Nations League defeat against Ronald Koeman’s side when wide man Schulz got forward to finish brilliantly with his weaker right foot.
A Gnabry effort called Jasper Cillessen into early action before a perfectly-timed Frenkie de Jong challenge halted the run of Joshua Kimmich, but Germany’s high-tempo start produced the opening goal in the 15th minute.
Toni Kroos sent Schulz scampering down the left, and after neatly controlling the cross Sane capitalised on De Ligt’s costly slip to slam home an excellent finish on the volley.
Manuel Neuer made two key saves in quick succession from Ryan Babel, and Germany then extended their lead in stunning fashion in the 34th minute.
Antonio Rudiger’s long ball sent Gnabry one on one with Virgil van Dijk, the Bayern Munich winger cutting in off the left, feinting to create space and crashing home his fifth Germany goal.
Netherlands got one back within three minutes of the restart, though, De Ligt rising highest to glance home a header from a superbly delivered left-wing Depay cross.
And Depay equalised in the 64th minute, indecision in the Germany box allowing Georginio Wijnaldum to tee up the Lyon attacker for his seventh goal in eight internationals.
Both sides seemed to have settled for a point in the closing stages, but Germany snatched all three at the death.
Substitutes Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus combined to free Schulz, and he picked out the bottom corner with an unerring strike to spark a new dawn for German football.
Cyprus vs Belgium
Eden Hazard marked his 100th international appearance with a goal as he helped Belgium to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Cyprus in Nicosia on Sunday to extend their winning start to Euro 2020 qualifying.
Much of the buildup focused on Chelsea star Hazard due to the significance of becoming only the third Belgian to reach a century of caps, and he did not disappoint, leading the way as Belgium added to Thursday’s 3-1 win over Russia.
The visitors never looked in danger of relinquishing their lead as Roberto Martinez’s men secured an early three-point cushion at the top of Group I.
Belgium were kept at bay for just 10 minutes until the ball broke kindly for Hazard just inside the box, and he curled a fine effort inside the right-hand post.
Thorgan Hazard then played a key role as Belgium got a second soon after, chipping a clever pass over the defence for Batshuayi, and he found the net after skipping past the goalkeeper.
Martinez’s side seemed to play within themselves thereafter, failing to offer much urgency or killer instinct in the final third.
Timothy Castagne and Youri Tielemans both put harmless efforts wide of the left-hand post in the first 10 minutes of the second half, while Batshuayi was denied by an excellent last-ditch Anthony Georgiou tackle when seemingly through on goal with a quarter of the match to play.
Cyprus – 5-0 winners over San Marino in their opener – nearly pulled one back two minutes from time, but Kostas Laifis headed onto the roof of the net and that was the final opportunity.
Take a look at other result in the Euro 2020 qualifiers:
Kazakhstan 0-4 Russia
Wales 1-0 Slovakia
Hungry 2-1 Croatia
Israel 4-2 Austria
San Marino 0-2 Scotland
Norther Ireland 2-1 Belarus
Poland 2-0 Latvia
Slovenia 1-1 Macedonia