HAMBURG (DPA) - Substitute Donyell Malen scored on his debut and Georginio Wijnaldum netted in stoppage time to give the Netherlands a 4-2 victory over Germany and open up Group C in Euro 2020 qualifying on Friday (Sept 6).
The Dutch came from behind at half-time to lead 2-1 in Hamburg but were pegged by a controversial penalty converted by Toni Kroos before 20-year-old PSV Eindhoven forward Malen struck 11 minutes from time and Wijnaldum made sure of the points.
Frenkie de Jong and a Jonathan Tah own goal had put the Dutch in front after they had trailed at half-time from an early Serge Gnabry goal.
It was the first loss of points for Germany after three wins in the group and the first defeat of the year for Joachim Loew's side, while the Dutch have avenged a 3-2 defeat to the Germans in Amsterdam in March and now have six points from three games.
"Holland were the better team over the 90 minutes. We deserved to lose," Loew told RTL.
"Although we were 1-0 up we never realy had the feeling that we had the game under control. We gave the ball away too often going forward."
Following a bright opening spell by the Dutch in which Manuel Neuer saved from Memphis Depay, Germany took the lead in the ninth minute when Lukas Klostermann was sent clear by Joshua Kimmich.
Klostermann's shot was blocked by keeper Jasper Cillessen but Gnabry followed up to find the net.
Matthijs de Ligt saw a header go wide before Germany came close to a second before half-time when Reus found himself in space only to fire at Cillessen.
De Ligt did well to clear a Gnabry cross-shot over his own goal in a chance for the home side after the break, before the Dutch again enjoyed possession and Neuer dived to save save from Wijnaldum.
The Bayern keeper though could do nothing about the equalizer in the 59th minute when Ryan Babel on the left crossed and de Jong took the ball ahead of Schulz to slot home.
The Dutch then went ahead seven minutes later from a corner when Neuer saved Virgil van Dijk's header but the ball was knocked back across goal by Depay and Tah turned it into his own net.
The Germans levelled in the 73rd minute when a penalty was awarded when the ball dropped on to the arm of de Ligt after the defender had blocked a cross from Niko Schulz.
De Ligt clearly had no idea where the ball was or could avoid it touching his arm, and Schulz may have been offside, but referee Artur Soares Dias did not have the benefit of a video assistant referee, and Kroos sent Cillessen the wrong way from the spot.
However Ronald Koeman's side bounced back six minutes later when Depay passed to Wijnaldum, who touched the ball on to Malen to finish in front of goal. Depay then found Wijnaldum in stoppage time for the Liverpool midfielder to seal the victory.
Germany's Gnabry told RTL: "We conceded the goals too lightly, simply gave away the third goal. That really shouldn't happen to us. We were good in the game until 3-2 and then a game can change."
Germany, who had been unbeaten in six matches, now travel to Belfast on Monday to play Northern Ireland, who have a perfect record after four matches, while the Dutch are at Estonia.
