Italy vs Germany Highlights: Goretzka scores winner in 2-1 victory in UEFA Nations League quarterfinal first leg

Italy vs Germany Highlights: Goretzka scores winner in 2-1 victory in UEFA Nations League quarterfinal first leg

Welcome to Sportstar’s highlights of the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal between Italy and Germany, which was played at the San Siro in Milan.

Goretzka’s goal proves to be the difference as Germany win the first leg of the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal 2-1 over Italy. Though the hots led 1-0 at half-time, Julian Nagelsmann’s men have the last laugh, going into the return leg.

Save! Italy tries to find a leading goal as Maldini takes a shot from distance. The shot was on target but Baumann refuses to be beaten, making his sixth save of the game – the most by any goalkeeper in a Nations League match.

The tempo of the game has slowly dipped with the scores level at 1-1 and Italy decides to shuffle the pack, bringing on Samuele Ricci and Raoul Bellanova for Nicolo Rovella and Matteo Politano, respectively.

Germany has continued to dominate possession throughout the match and had more shots, at three against two, but it is the host side that has its noses in front, thanks to the strike by Tonali.

Rudiger crosses from the right, which is headed out by Di Lorenzo. But the ball then falls to Goretzka, who shoots on the volley but it is straight at Donnarumma.

Germany gets a corner, which is sent in by Raum but it misses any of the targets in he Italy box as the hosts mitigate the issue with a good defensive attempt along the right.

The match between Germany and Italy begins in Milan, with both sides playing in their conventional colours, Italy in blue and Germany in white and black.

The players walk out of the tunnel and line-up for the National anthems! Two matches remain for the final four of the 2024-25 edition of the UEFA Nations league!

Germany visits Italy for the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarterfinal on Thursday at the San Siro Stadium in Milan.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side is unbeaten in six matches since losing to Spain in extra time in the quarterfinals of last year’s European Championship, and finished top of Group 3 with a goal difference of 18-4.

Italy, meanwhile, finished second in Group 2, level on points with group winners France, to whom they lost 3-1 in their final lgroup stage match – their only defeat of the campaign so far.

This is the first time both nations will meet in this tournament.

The four-time World Cup winner will look back on their last meeting with the Italians in June 2022 with fondness, as they won 5-2 in the league phase of the UEFA Nations League.

Luciano Spalletti, Italy coach, said, “I’m a little tense, but not too worried. I want to convey to my players that matches depend on what we bring to the table. Fear is just an emotion. Danger is different, it happens at a specific moment.”

Published on Mar 21, 2025