- Germany came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Italy at San Siro in Milan
- Tim Kleindienst scored with his first touch after coming on at halftime
- The second leg in Dortmund will decide who advances to face Denmark or Portugal
Key Takeaways:
Germany took a step closer to the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after overturning an early deficit to defeat Italy 2-1 at San Siro in Milan. The visitors fell behind in the ninth minute when Sandro Tonali found the net for the hosts, but second-half goals from Tim Kleindienst and Leon Goretzka completed the comeback for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.
Germany seal the win 🆚 Italy 🔥 pic.twitter.com/k6Hczdr3zk
— 433 (@433) March 20, 2025
Nagelsmann made a decisive double substitution at halftime, bringing on Kleindienst and Nico Schlotterbeck in place of Burkardt and Raum. The change paid off immediately, as Kleindienst equalized just four minutes into the second half, heading in a precise cross from Joshua Kimmich. Germany maintained control for much of the second period, and in the 76th minute, Goretzka completed the turnaround, sealing an important away victory.
The return leg will be played in Dortmund on Sunday, with the aggregate winner advancing to the semi-finals to face either Denmark or Portugal.
Germany finished top of Group 3 in the Nations League group stage with 14 points, remaining unbeaten throughout. Meanwhile, Italy secured second place in Group 2 but lost out on the top spot to France due to an inferior head-to-head record. The two nations previously met in the 2021/22 edition of the tournament, drawing 1-1 in Bologna before Germany secured a dominant 5-2 victory in Mönchengladbach.
Before this loss, Italy had gone five games without defeat in the Nations League, with their last setback being a 3-1 defeat to France in November. Germany, on the other hand, remains unbeaten since their dramatic Euro 2024 quarter-final against Spain, where they were eliminated after extra time.