Skip to main content

Joachim Loew under pressure as Netherlands hammer Germany, first time in 16 years

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk led the Netherlands to a crushing 3-0 win over Germany on Saturday in the Nations League, to ramp up the pressure on German coach Joachim Loew.

This is the first time the Dutch have beaten Germany for 16 years and the comprehensive defeat leaves Loew under increasing pressure to resign after 12 years in charge.

These are dark days for the Germans, still reeling from their woeful World Cup display when they crashed out early after finishing bottom of their group. A first-half header by Dutch skipper Van Dijk gave the hosts the lead in Amsterdam.

With the German defence in disarray, late goals from Memphis Depay and Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum sealed the win on a golden night for the Oranje at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena. Defeat in Loew’s 168th international means Germany are once again last — this time bottom of Group One in the Nations League.

Van Dijk opened the scoring with a well-taken header after Ryan Babel had headed against the crossbar on 30 minutes. Depay then compounded Germany’s misery by stroking home a pass from Quincy Promes three minutes from time after the pair got in behind the defence.

Depay then hit the Germany crossbar moments before Wijnaldum netted Holland’s third goal just before the final whistle. Germany now face world champions France in Paris on Tuesday and Loew can ill afford another heavy defeat.

Earlier Saturday, Munich-based newspaper, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, revealed there is a release clause in Loew’s contract, which runs until 2022, allowing either party to end the agreement prematurely.

Loew had promised an improved performance from the Germans. Yet again, his senior players let him down as the Bayern Munich axis of Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller struggled.

Loew pulled a surprise before kick-off by starting Manchester City starlet Leroy Sane on the bench. Schalke striker Mark Uth made his debut up front with RB Leipzig winger Timo Werner and Mueller on the flanks. Loew opted for a 4-3-3 formation, just like his opposite number Ronald Koeman who started with Besiktas’ Babel, Lyon’s Depay and Eindhoven striker Steven Bergwijn up front.

Uth and Werner both forced chances early on to keep Jasper Cillessen, Holland’s Barcelona goalkeeper, busy. The Dutch went ahead after 30 minutes when Babel out-jumped Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich to the ball, headed onto the post and Van Dijk pounced on the rebound.

Germany had their chances as Mueller and then his replacement Sane, who came on for the last half an hour, both fired wide with the goal at their mercy. Having broken the German defence in the final 10 minutes, Depay hit the net, then the crossbar before Wijnaldum swept in their third goal just before the final whistle.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

N-Power monitors: Minister tenders apology, assures payment in 72hrs

Monitors of N-Power are expected to receive payments for the months of March and April, 2020 within the next 72 hours, while the process of May is on-going. This was disclosed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, in a statement made available to  Paulokahblog   in Abuja Tuesday. In the statement signed by the Deputy Director Information, Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, the minister said all approvals have been made and processes for payment triggered. She stated that the delay for the payment was due to the change in government policy of migration from the Remita platform system to the GIFMIS system of payment, which requires offloading the beneficiaries into the new system before finally uploading, reviewing and final payment by the Social Investment Programme (SIP). The minister regretted any inconveniences caused by the delay towards the payment of the monitors of N-Power, who have proven their mant...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lawyer begs EFCC, AGF, others for intervention in alleged fraud

An Abuja based legal practitioner and Managing Partner, Cosmic Legal Consult, Barrister Ifeanyi Cosmas Mamah, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) over “the defrauding of unsuspecting Nigerians by alleged fraudsters operating a fraudulent online ponzi scheme known as myBONUS, with the alleged connivance of a microfinance bank, Kuda Microfinance Bank Ltd, headquartered in Lagos”. In the petition obtained by this medium Wednesday, dated February 1, 2021, with acknowledged copies by EFCC, NFIU, AGF dated February 2, 2021, Mamah gave a breakdown of how many Nigerians, including his clients, were duped by operators of the alleged ponzi scheme, under the guise of doubling their investments, with one Omotola Adanna as the founder/CEO of myBONUS, begging the petitioned agencies for urgent intervention in recovering the money for his clients and forestalling future occu...
1 comment
Read more

Group applauds Buhari on infrastructural development in FMC Asaba

   The Center for Peace, Transparency and Accountability (CPTA) has commended the Buhari-led administration for making key appointments that have been pivotal to the rapid transformation witnessed in the health sector. This commendation was issued in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday, which was signed by the Executive Director of the Centre, Comrade Patrick Ogheneyero, after a three-day independent performance assessment visit to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta state. Ogheneyero stated that he was amazed at the level of commitment to rapidly bring quality and premier healthcare services to Delta state. He also applauded the Minister of Health for his commitment to healthcare development both at the primary and tertiary levels, as well as the Chief Medical Director of the FMC), Asaba, Dr. Victor Osiatuma, for his patriotic approach towards uplifting the Centre to be ranked amongst the best in the country. Ogheneyero described the appointment of Dr....
Post a Comment
Read more