Germany booked their place in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals after surviving a dramatic second-half comeback from Italy in a thrilling 3-3 draw in Dortmund. Despite conceding three goals in the second half, Germany progressed 5-4 on aggregate, marking their first-ever appearance in the tournament’s final four.

Germany’s First-Half Dominance

Julian Nagelsmann’s side looked unstoppable in the opening 45 minutes, with midfield maestro Joshua Kimmich orchestrating the show. The Bayern Munich star converted an early penalty before setting up Jamal Musiala and Tim Kleindienst to put Germany 3-0 up before halftime.

Italy, already dealing with multiple injuries, struggled to contain Germany’s fluid attacking play, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma left frustrated after being caught off guard on Musiala’s goal from a quickly taken corner.

Italy’s Second-Half Comeback Falls Short

However, the second half told a completely different story. Moise Kean ignited hopes of a miraculous comeback, scoring twice to put pressure on the hosts. His second goal came after a well-threaded pass from substitute Giacomo Raspadori, leaving the German defense on edge.

Italy thought they had a golden chance to equalize in the 73rd minute when they were awarded a penalty, but VAR intervened to overturn the decision. Raspadori eventually converted a stoppage-time penalty, but it wasn’t enough as Germany held on to their aggregate lead.

Nagelsmann Reflects on Lessons Learned

Speaking after the game, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann acknowledged his team’s struggles in the second half but remained optimistic.

“We’ve learned valuable lessons from this game,” he said. “We know how well we can play, but we need to maintain that level throughout the match. It’s great to reach the semi-finals, but there’s still work to do.”

Italy coach Luciano Spalletti admitted that his team’s lack of consistency proved costly. “We showed in the second half what we are capable of, but we were too afraid to play like that from the start,” he said. “We lacked maturity in key moments.”

Germany Set to Host Semi-Finals

With their progression secured, Germany will now host the remainder of the UEFA Nations League tournament, with the semi-finals set to take place in Stuttgart and Munich in June. They will face Portugal in the next round after the Selecção defeated Denmark in an equally dramatic encounter.

READ ALSO: Portugal 5-2 Denmark (agg: 5-3): Portugal defeat Denmark to reach Nations League Semi-Finals

Meanwhile, Italy will shift their focus to World Cup qualifying, where they will battle Scotland in Group C as they aim to secure a spot in the 2026 tournament.

SportsLigue