Goretzka goal earns Germany 2-1 win over Italy

March 22, 2025

Italy's Sandro Tonali (centre) is challenged by Germany's Robert Andrich (left) and Germany's Jamie Leweling during a Nations League quarter-final first leg football match at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy on Thursday.

Agency :

Germany came from behind to defeat Italy 2-1 at the San Siro on Thursday in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final, with Leon Goretzka heading the winning goal 14 minutes from time.
The second leg is in Dortmund on Sunday, and the winners will host the Nations League semi-finals, where they will meet Denmark or Portugal, and final in June.

Nicolo Barella played a pass into the box for Matteo Politano who pulled the ball back towards Moise Kean and the ball fell to Sandro Tonali who drove his shot into the corner.

Germany continued to enjoy more possession, but while Goretzka headed over and sent another effort straight at keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, the visitors’ keeper Oliver Baumann had to parry away shots from Tonali and Kean.

Nadiem Amiri sent a free kick just over the bar before the break and Italy took their lead into the interval.

Germany equalised four minutes into the second half when Joshua Kimmich floated the ball into the box and unmarked substitute Tim Kleindienst rose to power a header past Donnarumma with his first touch.

“There were a couple of situations that we paid too heavy a price for over the course of the game,” Italy manager Luciano Spalletti told RAI Sport.
“It was a pass from midfield, they found someone free in the box.”

Tonali played a deft back-heeled pass into Kean who hit a snap shot over the bar and Giacomo Raspadori was sent through one-on-one with the keeper but Baumann saved with his leg, while Goretzka headed wide from another Kimmich cross.