Netherlands 1–1 Germany: Gakpo Rescues Xavi’s Oranje Debut

Xavi Hernández’s first match as Netherlands coach ended 1–1 against Germany, but the result hardly tells the story. Two Dutch goals were disallowed, Germany scored while Brian Brobbey was lying injured, and Oranje created chance after chance before Cody Gakpo finally rescued a deserved point in stoppage time after an outrageous assist from debutant Ruben van Bommel.

There was frustration, controversy and some familiar Dutch wastefulness, but above all there was something we have been missing: an Oranje side that played with pressure, aggression and attitude.

For a first match under a new coach, that might be the most encouraging thing of all.

Two disallowed goals – and a referee Oranje won’t forget quickly

Spanish referee Alejandro Hernández certainly made himself one of the main characters of the evening, the clown of the night probably has a German wife.

Virgil van Dijk thought he had given the Netherlands the lead after just 12 minutes when he headed home from a corner. The goal was eventually disallowed because Brian Brobbey was judged to have impeded Marc-André ter Stegen. The contact was minimal, a VAR that was frustrated with his Dutch girlfriend called the referee to the screen, goal cancelled.

It wouldn’t be the last time Oranje celebrated for nothing.

In the second half, substitute Mexx Meerdink also put the ball in the German net, only for Hernández Hernández to have already blown for an alleged Dutch foul. Two Dutch goals, two whistles, zero goals.

What a clown show from the referee, maybe he doesn´t like our new coach.

Germany’s goal leaves a bad taste

Germany’s 0–1 was even more frustrating.

Brobbey suddenly went down injured around the half-hour mark. The Dutch players clearly expected Germany to put the ball out so the striker could receive treatment.

Germany continued playing.

Jan Paul van Hecke initially prevented Karim Adeyemi from scoring, but the attack continued and Felix Nmecha eventually made it 0–1. Dutch players, including Denzel Dumfries, reacted furiously. The goal stood.

Was Germany technically entitled to continue? Yes.

Was it particularly sporting with an opponent clearly injured on the ground? Hell NO !!

Brobbey couldn’t continue and his injury unexpectedly opened the door for Mexx Meerdink.

Mexx Meerdink showed exactly why Xavi selected him

The young AZ striker’s debut deserves more attention than his missed chances.

With Brobbey injured, Meerdink was asked to perform essentially the same role: become the physical reference point in attack, occupy the centre-backs, attack crosses and give the midfield somewhere to play into.

He did that remarkably well.

Meerdink was involved in several dangerous attacks, had his goal disallowed and came desperately close on other occasions. Ter Stegen denied him brilliantly before the ball hit the post, while another enormous opportunity went begging.

Yes, he should have scored.

But don’t confuse missing chances with playing badly. Meerdink worked relentlessly, got himself into the right positions and caused Germany serious problems. For a debut against Germany, there was plenty for Xavi to like.

The goals will come if he keeps getting those opportunities.

Joey Veerman changed the way Oranje played

And then came Joey Veerman.

After 807 days away from the national team, the PSV midfielder replaced Quinten Timber in the second half, who was the worst palyer on the pitch tonight.

This was exactly the type of match that demonstrated what Veerman can add to Oranje.

Veerman’s first instinct is almost always forward.

He sees the diagonal pass. He switches play quickly. He looks behind the defensive line. His passing forces teammates to make runs because they know that, if they move, Veerman is capable of finding them, if they don´t run they will look like the referee, a clown.

That also means his teammates need to be awake. If you’re playing ahead of Veerman and don’t make the run, you’re going to look pretty lazy when he already has his head up searching for you.

Of course he loses the ball sometimes. That’s part of his game. A midfielder attempting difficult progressive passes will inevitably give possession away more frequently than someone continually choosing the five-metre safety pass.

I’d rather see Veerman occasionally lose possession while trying to break Germany open than watch Oranje endlessly move the ball sideways.

His delivery from set pieces was another reminder of something Oranje has been missing.

Summerville, Dumfries and Reijnders impress

Crysencio Summerville was lively and repeatedly caused Germany problems. He should probably have converted one of his opportunities, but his movement and willingness to attack defenders gave Oranje another dimension.

Denzel Dumfries was Denzel Dumfries: energy, aggression, forward runs and constant involvement.

Tijjani Reijnders again demonstrated how valuable he is between midfield and attack. His movement, technique and ability to accelerate the game made him difficult for Germany to control.

Those three, together with Meerdink and later Veerman, were central to the periods in which Oranje pushed Germany backwards.

Second half belonged to Oranje

The difference after halftime was substantial.

The Netherlands played higher, attacked with greater urgency and increasingly turned the match into attack versus defence. Germany became dependent on counterattacks while Ter Stegen was repeatedly required to keep his team ahead. Contemporary match reports likewise described Oranje as the better side after the break.

The numbers reinforce that impression. Public match-stat providers differ somewhat on the precise Dutch xG total — one report listed 3.2 to Germany’s 1.5 — but they agree that the Netherlands generated substantially more high-quality opportunities.

And remember: Germany’s total included Adeyemi somehow missing an almost open goal.

The biggest criticism of Oranje is therefore obvious.

You have to finish these chances.

Against Germany, France, Spain or any other elite opponent, creating enough to win isn’t enough. Eventually somebody has to put the ball in the net.

Fortunately, Oranje still had Gakpo.

Ruben van Bommel: welcome to Oranje

With roughly ten minutes remaining, Xavi introduced Ruben van Bommel for his Netherlands debut.

What an introduction.

Van Bommel immediately looked fearless. He attacked, had attempts at goal and played like somebody who wasn’t particularly interested in spending his debut cautiously passing backwards.

Then came the moment of the evening.

Deep into stoppage time, Van Bommel produced an absolutely buiten-categorie assist, delivering the ball beautifully with the outside of his foot.

Gakpo did the rest.

BANG.

A superb finish.

1–1.

Van Bommel had been on the pitch for barely ten minutes and already had his first Oranje assist.

Not a bad way to introduce yourself.

Gakpo does what Gakpo does

Cody Gakpo wasn’t necessarily Oranje’s most dominant player throughout the entire match.

But top attacking players have a habit of appearing when you need them.

In stoppage time, with defeat looking increasingly inevitable, Gakpo produced the moment Oranje had been searching for all evening.

The technique on the finish matched the quality of Van Bommel’s delivery.

After all those opportunities, the disallowed goals, Ter Stegen’s saves and Meerdink hitting the post, the ball was finally in the German net — and this one counted.

Xavi’s first Oranje already looked different

The most interesting takeaway isn’t the 1–1.

It’s the football.

Before his debut, Xavi had spoken about intensity, taking initiative and creating a team that plays proactively. Against Germany, we could already see elements of that philosophy.

High pressure.

Players pushing forward.

Full-backs attacking.

Midfielders looking for progressive passes.

Wingers taking defenders on.

And perhaps most importantly: attitude.

It wasn’t perfect. Germany had opportunities, Oranje occasionally left space behind the press, and the finishing has to improve dramatically.

But nobody should expect a finished product after a handful of training sessions.

What we needed to see was a direction.

We saw one.

A draw that feels like the beginning of something

The scoreboard says:

Netherlands 1–1 Germany.

But this was one of those matches where the performance mattered almost as much as the result.

Oranje had two goals disallowed. Meerdink could have scored more than once. Dumfries brought energy. Summerville threatened. Veerman brought creativity. Reijnders drove the midfield forward. Van Bommel produced a sensational assist on his debut.

And Gakpo refused to let Xavi’s first match end in defeat.

There are plenty of things to improve, especially the finishing.

But after the disappointment of the World Cup, this looked like an Oranje side playing with some fire again.

High pressure. Forward football. Courage. Attitude.

If this is Xavi’s starting point, his Oranje era could become very interesting indeed.