Germany held off a thrilling second-half comeback by Italy to secure a 5-4 aggregate victory and book their place in the Nations League semifinals. Despite drawing 3-3 in the second leg on Sunday, their dominant first-leg win and first-half brilliance at home proved just enough.
Brilliant First Half for Germany
At home, Germany came out strong and showed their best football since their 2014 World Cup triumph. Their high pressing and sharp attacks left Italy struggling to keep up.
Joshua Kimmich opened the scoring with a well-taken penalty in the 30th minute. Just six minutes later, a clever quick corner from Kimmich caught Italy’s defence off guard, allowing Jamal Musiala to slot home their second.
The Germans weren’t done yet — Tim Kleindienst headed in a third goal right before halftime from another Kimmich assist, making it 3-0 and giving Germany a seemingly comfortable lead.
Italy Fights Back
The second half told a different story. Italy took advantage of Germany’s drop in energy and focus. Moise Kean struck twice — first in the 49th minute after a German mistake, and again in the 69th minute, outpacing defender Jonathan Tah to make it 3-2.
As tension filled the stadium, Giacomo Raspadori converted a stoppage-time penalty to level the score on the night. But with no more time left, Germany’s first-leg advantage saw them through.
Germany Marches On
Germany, who won the first leg 2-1, will now face Portugal in the Nations League semifinals. Coach Julian Nagelsmann praised the team’s first-half performance but acknowledged the need to maintain focus for the full match:
“It was the best half, very impressive. In the second half, we lost control, but these are lessons for our development.”
Match Stats
| Category | Germany (GER) | Italy (ITA) |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 56.9% | 43.1% |
| Shots on Goal | 8 | 3 |
| Total Attempts | 22 | 9 |
| Fouls | 15 | 13 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 4 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Corner Kicks | 6 | 4 |
| Saves | 0 | 5 |
Key Moments Recap
✅ Joshua Kimmich scores penalty (30′)
✅ Musiala nets from quick Kimmich corner (36′)
✅ Kleindienst heads in third from Kimmich assist (45′)
✅ Moise Kean strikes for Italy (49′, 69′)
✅ Raspadori converts stoppage-time penalty (90+4′)
✅ Germany advances with a 5-4 aggregate win
Germany will now face Portugal in the semifinal clash of Nations League set for June, hoping to build on their brilliant first-half display and learn from their second-half scare.
