Headlining this slate of international games was Thursday’s UEFA Nations League meeting between the Netherlands and Germany.
This was former Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp’s first game in charge of the German National Team, and his opponents were the Netherlands, with his former players Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch lining up on the opposite team in Orange.
The trio all started and finished the game, whilst Jeremie Frimpong was an unused substitute in what was also Barcelona and Spain
legend Xavi’s first game as head coach of the Dutch. Florian Wirtz did not participate, as Klopp has opted for a two-squad approach, and the German playmaker will join up for the final two fixtures of this international break.
Felix Nmecha opened the scoring in the 32nd minute of the first half, but Cody Gakpo rescued a point for the hosts with a header from a cross by Ruben Van Bommel in injury time. (Yes, he’s that guy’s kid.)
Kostas Tsimikas was also an injury-time hero for Greece in Belgrade against Serbia in League A, Group 2 in the Nations League, assisting a 95th-minute winner as they completed a 2-1 comeback.
Lewis Koumas started for Wales as they fell 1-0 away to Portugal.
Ronald Araujo played about 70 minutes in Uruguay’s 3-1 defeat to Japan in a friendly.
Last but not least, Academy midfielder Erik Farkas started and was subbed off on the 76th minute mark as England U18s won 3-2 against Colombia.
