Netherlands 2-3 Germany: 3 talking points and Tactical Analysis

#1 Schulz schools Dumfries

Nico Schulz may have just cemented his position in the German starting XI after an impressive display.

It was a high-intense battle on the flank between Denzel Dumfries and Nico Schulz that quite literally determined the result of the game. It may seem harsh on the Netherlands right-back but the fact remains that all of Germany’s goals originated from his side of the Dutch defence and Schulz’s goal & assist is a good enough proof to it.

Dumfries is not the easiest defenders to compete against in duels, be it one-on-one or aerially but yesterday was a night to forget for the PSV man as he was constantly outplayed tactically as well as physically by Schulz who has probably had his best ever game for the Die Mannschaft since his debut last year.

Dumfries couldn't cope up with Schulz's pace and allowed him to set up the cross which led to the first goal.

The first goal was preceded by a move started by Kroos playing Schulz through into open space when Dumfries was not really out of position. But the mere burst of pace by Schulz was surprisingly enough for the left back to gain a couple of yards against Dumfries before whipping in a teasing cross to Sane who put the Germans ahead with a sublime finish.

An unfortunate slip from de Ligt made things much easier for Sane who otherwise might have had the hurdle of beating De Ligt before taking a shot. However one of the most important aspects of Dumfries’ game is his physical abilities.

It is a totally different scenario if he was tracking back from attack and chasing a player who started ahead of him. But if he was beaten for sheer pace by the only player he had to mark despite being in the right position, then it is definitely something to worry about for him.

Dumfries (circled yellow) is dragged out of position while Gnabry (circled black) spots the space and makes a run.

The second goal was an absolute humdinger from Gnabry and to say that it could be one of those nominated for the FIFA Puskas award later this year would be no exaggeration. Kudos to the moment of individual brilliance but how did he pull van Dijk out of position and cut in from the flank?

Well with Dumfries pulled out of position by Schulz, there was a huge gap on the wing that Gnabry was smart enough to spot and run into. Gnabry made the run, the ball played to him was perfect and within a matter of seconds, it was 0-2 to Germany.

There could be another angle to this goal that after the first goal, Dumfries’ attempt to overly concentrate on Schulz and follow him allowed the latter to pull him up the pitch. But it was still surprising to see the kind of gap that was constantly being created on the right side of the Oranje defence throughout the first half.

Dumfries (circled yellow) had marked Schulz seconds before the latter made his run.

The third goal was definitely the most heart-breaking one of the lot for the Netherlands as they had made their way back into the game and when it looked like they were the side who were likely to grab the winner, the Germans stole all three points in the dying moments of the game.

Again, Dumfries does not have anyone to blame but his own self. When it finally looked like Schulz was being contained, the Dutch right-back switched off for a couple of seconds to allow the German to run into the centre and guide it past Cillessen.

In a matter of seconds, Dumfries (circled yellow) switched off while Schulz (circled black) made a free run into the box to grab the winner.

With De Ligt on Reus, De Roon on Gundogan and Dumfries on Schulz, had each player kept his eye on his man, it was certainly an avoidable goal. De Ligt’s reaction to Dumfries after the winning goal summarized the forgetful evening for the latter.

It only goes on to show how a single duel between 2 players could turn the game around its head and this is all the more the reason why it's absolutely essential for coaches to pay attention to every little detail. All said and done, there is no denying that the two arch-rivals gave the fans a game to remember for a long while.