You know a match is wild when Germany waste lead becomes the headline—again—and yet the story ends with “Germany still edge past Italy into Nations League semis.” Classic German efficiency… with a side of chaos.
On a night where football fans expected tactical chess, Germany vs Italy gave us full-blown Jumanji. Wild animals included. The Germans, fresh off their 2-1 first-leg win, decided to spice things up in the second leg by throwing in both domination and disaster. Why win comfortably when you can make it heart-stopping?
First-Half Germany: Bayern Mode Activated
Germany came out like they’d just been told the Italian team insulted bratwurst. High pressing, laser-sharp passing, and a Joshua Kimmich who apparently ate tactical awareness for breakfast.
The opener came via Kimmich (who else?), calmly slotting in a penalty in the 30th minute. Italy barely had time to say “Mamma Mia” before Kimmich delivered a cheeky corner that caught the Azzurri snoozing. Musiala, looking like he was on cheat mode, tapped in the second. 2-0.
Just when the Italians were about to ask for a timeout (sadly, this isn’t basketball), Tim Kleindienst made it 3-0 with a bullet header from—you guessed it—another Kimmich assist. The man was on a mission: assist or die trying.
At halftime, it looked like Germany was planning their celebration dinner at the nearest schnitzel house.
Second-Half Germany: CTRL + ALT + Collapse
Then came the second half. And boy, did Germany waste lead like it was out of fashion. Moise Kean pounced on a mistake four minutes into the restart, giving Italy a flicker of hope—and Germany a panic attack.
Suddenly, Nagelsmann’s side looked like they forgot football has two halves. Kean returned in the 69th minute to cut the deficit to 3-2, bullying poor Jonathan Tah like it was recess in elementary school.
Germany’s slickness had vanished. The foot was off the gas, the GPS was recalculating, and the Italian comeback bus was rolling.
Then came the ultimate drama: stoppage time penalty, converted by Giacomo Raspadori. 3-3 on the night. 5-4 on aggregate. Italy needed just one more goal to complete the miracle. But fate (and probably Kimmich) said no.
Kimmich: The Corner King
Let’s take a second to appreciate Joshua Kimmich. Four assists over two legs. That’s more than some midfielders manage in a season. He delivered corners with the precision of a German engineer—and took advantage of a ball boy faster than a Formula 1 pit stop.
If this Nations League semifinal qualification were a group project, Kimmich would’ve been the one doing 90% of the work while the others “provided moral support.”
Germany’s Split Personality
Julian Nagelsmann had a very diplomatic take: “It was the best half, very impressive first half… then there are moments you concede a goal, then another…”
Translation: “We played like world champions, then forgot how to play football.”
The contrast between the two halves was sharper than an Italian suit. But give Germany credit—they survived the Italian storm and still booked their ticket to the Nations League semis, where Portugal (and possibly Cristiano Ronaldo’s perfectly groomed eyebrows) await.
Italy: So Close, Yet Spaghetti Slipped
You can’t fault Italy’s fighting spirit. From being 5-2 down on aggregate to making it 5-4, they looked like they were channeling Rocky Balboa in the final round. Unfortunately, they needed one more punch and just ran out of time.
Gianluigi Donnarumma might want to erase the memory of that quick Kimmich corner from his mind. Or at least buy that ball boy a coffee for being so… efficient.
FAQs
The second leg ended 3-3, but Germany advanced to the Nations League semis with a 5-4 aggregate win.
They took their foot off the gas in the second half, allowing Italy to mount an epic (almost successful) comeback.
Joshua Kimmich. With four assists across both legs, he basically played conductor in a symphony of chaos.
Germany will face Portugal in the Nations League semifinals. Cristiano, prepare yourself.
No. The match ended in a 3-3 draw, which wasn’t enough to overturn Germany’s 2-1 first-leg lead.
Conclusion: A German Drama With an Italian Plot Twist
Germany vs Italy gave us everything: brilliance, blunders, and the football equivalent of a heart attack. Germany waste lead? Absolutely. But still edge past Italy into Nations League semis? Also yes.
It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t polished. But it was peak international football chaos—and we loved every minute of it.
As Germany head to the semifinals and Italy ponder what could’ve been, one thing’s for sure: Never count out the madness of the Nations League. And never, ever underestimate the impact of a ball boy with fast hands.
