Deniz Undav scored twice as Germany consolidated top spot in UEFA Nations League Group A3 with victory away to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Bosnia 1-2 Germany
Goals: 0-1 Undav 29′ (assist: Wirtz), 0-2 Undav 36′ (assist: Mittelstädt), 1-2 Džeko 70′ (assist: Tahirović)
With four points on the board after their opening two Nations League fixtures, Germany would have been quietly confident of getting a positive result in Saravejo. They rode their luck at times as Ivan Bašić and VfB Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirović fired wide from range inside the opening 20 minutes, but a moment of quality from Florian Wirtz put them firmly on the front foot. The Bayer Leverkusen talisman received a Joshua Kimmich free-kick with his back to goal, before smartly laying the ball off for Undav to sink a confident finish past Bosnia’s St. Pauli-based goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj. Germany debutant Tim Kleindienst had a goal ruled out and Demirović struck the woodwork in a barmy spell that culminated in Undav poking in his second of the contest from Stuttgart teammate Maximillian Mittelstädt’s probing cross.
Germany peppered the Bosnia goal after the restart, with Undav twice going close before being denied his hat-trick by the linesman’s flag. Serge Gnabry thought he had a goal to mark his first senior international appearance in almost a year, but his strike was also ruled out for an offside. Bosnia went straight up the other end to reduce the arrears as ex-Wolfsburg goal machine Edin Džeko headed in substitute Benjamin Tahirović’s corner. Kleindienst nodded wide in an open finale, with Germany successfully seeing out their second Nations League win in three to cement first place in the section ahead of their showdown with the Netherlands on 14 October.
Match stats
- Nagelsmann’s Germany are unbeaten after the standard 90 minutes of their past 12 matches (excluding an extra-time defeat against Spain at Euro 2024).
- Undav has scored three times in five senior internationals.
- Wirtz has two goals and two assists in his last four Germany appearances.
- Jonathan Burkardt and Alex Nübel also made their senior international debuts.
- Germany are four-time FIFA World Cup winners and three-time European champions, but have yet to reach the final four in three editions of the Nations League.
- Džeko scored 66 goals in 111 appearances for Wolfsburg.
Teams
Germany: Nübel – Kimmich (c), Tah, Rüdiger, Mittelstädt (Gosens 66′) – Andrich (Stiller), Groß (Anton 90’+1) – Gnabry (Führich), Wirtz, Undav (Burkardt 66′) – Kleindienst
Unused subs: Blaswich, Baumann, Schlotterbeck, Rüdiger, Leweling, Pavlović, Stiller, Schade
Out: Havertz (knee), Henrichs (back), Koch (hip), Musiala (hip), Raum (ankle), Ter Stegen (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
Bosnia: Vasilj – Gazibegović, Katić, Barišić, Kolašinac (Tabaković 90’+1) – Gigovic (Šarić 65′) – Huseinbašić (Hajradinović 65′), Bašić (Tahirović 46′), Burnić (Bajraktarević 84′), Demirović – Džeko (c)
Unused subs: Hadzikić, Zlomislić, Bičakčić, Mujakić, Omerović, Radeljić, Kulasin
Out: –
Coach: Sergej Barbarez
As it happened!
That’s seven points from a possible nine for Germany in Group A3. They deserved it, too, with Undav’s brace decisive. The Netherlands await on Monday…
Full-time
The fourth official’s board goes up to indicate five additional minutes, just as Führich has a goal-bound shot charged down…
Kleindienst heads a Kimmich cross wide from a tight angle. The Gladbach man is unlucky not to have a debut goal to his name – solid effort in the lone striker’s role!
Gnabry’s put in a lively shift – confirmation of his return to form since the start of the season with Bayern. Stuttgart’s Chris Führich is his replacement.
In the other Group A3 game. Hungary are holding the Netherlands to a 1-1 draw. That’s great news for Germany, who will go clear at the top with a win here.
Nagelsmann wil not be happy about this, conceding from a corner. It’s Džeko with the header – game on!
The linesman’s flag denies Gnabry, who was a stretch offside before finding the top corner.
The Mainz striker replaces two-goal hero Undav.
Undav scores again after Vasilj could only parry from Kleindienst, but it’s chalked off by the VAR. Offside is the call.
… but his first-time strike from close range is blocked by a white shirt. Bosnia can’t handle the Germany No.13!
Wirtz passes to Undav who, on a hat-trick, drives past the upright from outside the area.
Bosnia have introduced the more defensively minded Tahirovic in a bid to get a grip on the game. Germany are unchanged.
Kick-off!
Half-time: Bosnia 0-2 Germany!Wirtz sends a near-post header wide with the last action of the half, Germany leading 2-0 thanks to Undav’s quick-fire brace.
© IMAGO/nordphoto GmbH / Bratic
Half-time
Just 60 seconds tacked on at the end of a very entertaining first half of Nations League football…
Germany haven’t been at their best, but they’ve been clinical in front of goal.
… and this one’s made in Stuttgart as the Germany forward reacts fastest to a teasing cross from club-mate Maxi Mittelstädt. Proper poacher’s goal, that.
So close from Demirović, who ghosts in off the left and fizzes and effort off the crossbar. Nübel was beaten!
Undav’s involved again as Kleindienst fires in from close range, but it won’t count. There was an offside in the build-up.
There it is! Wirtz controls a Kimmich free-kick with his back to goal. Leverkusen’s star man lays it off to Undav, who drives home his second senior international goal.
First Pascal Groß has a crack from range for Germany. Demirović then follows suit, but a defender gets in the way.
The feelers are still out in Sarajevo, but Bosnia have made a confident start, considering the manner of their 5-2 drubbing at the hands of the Netherlands on Matchday 1.
Gnabry sells his keeper short with an undercooked back-pass. Luckily, Nübel is alert to the danger and clears before Dzeko can take advantage.
With Musiala missing through injury, it’s not quite clicking for Germany in the final third just yet.
Now Stuttgart’s Demirović tries his luck, the Bosnia forward volleying wide following another good delivery into the penalty box.
The Gladbach striker meets a Gnabry free-kick, but can’t direct his header on target. With his height, he’ll give the Bosnia defence some real problems.
Bašić does really well to create some space for a shot, which he whips just past Nübel’s upright.
Can Germany make it three games unbeaten in this season’s Nations League?
Kick-off!
2:38
Watch: All Edin Džeko’s Bundesliga goals in 2008/09Although close to 40, Edin Džeko will still be a threat to Germany. The Bosnia and Herzegovina captain, who was born in Sarajevo where war broke out at the age of six, is his country’s all-time top appearance maker and scorer, and will go down as one of the game’s great strikers thanks to a goal and trophy-laden career. His first title was arguably the most incredible of the lot, though, coming in his second season with 2008/09 Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg.
Goalkeeper Alex Nübel and striker Tim Kleindienst are handed their Germany debuts, while Serge Gnabry makes his first appearance for his country in almost a year. As for Bosnia, Germany-based contingent Nikola Vasilj, Ermin Bičakčić, Denis Huseinbašić, Dženis Burnić and Ermedin Demirović all start.
Nübel – Kimmich (c), Tah, Rüdiger, Mittelstädt – Andrich, Groß – Gnabry, Wirtz, Undav – Kleindienst
Blaswich, Baumann, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Rüdiger, Gosens, Führich, Leweling, Pavlović, Stiller, Burkardt, Schade
Vasilj – Gazibegović, Bičakčić, Katić, Barišić, Kolašinac – Gigovic – Huseinbašić, Bašić, Burnić, Demirović – Džeko (c)
Hadzikic, Zlomislic, Bicakcic, Mujakic, Omerovic, Radeljic, Hajradinovic, Kulasin, Saric, Tahirovic, Bajraktarevic, Tabakovic
Julian Nagelsmann has told media of new call-ups Jonathan Burkardt and Tim Kleindienst, “you can assume that you’ll see one of them in the starting line-up.” Bayern Munich-owned Stuttgart goalkeeper Alex Nübel is also in line for his senior international debut. “I’m really excited about playing the game tomorrow. I’m nervous, of course, but I’m really looking forward to it,” the 28-year-old said.
0:49
Watch: Germany team travel to Sarajevo
Benjamin Henrichs has become the latest RB Leipzig player to withdraw from international duty. The full-back has departed due to a back issue, and Nagelsmann has decided to not call up a replacement.
Leipzig’s David Raum has dropped out of the squad due to an ankle injury and has been replaced by Robin Gosens.
Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt is in the senior squad for the first time, having started the season in fine form with five goals in six Bundesliga games. Burkardt has represented his country at every level from U15 to U21 and won the U21 European Championship in 2021. Burkardt is the first Mainz player to be called up to the Germany squad since Anton Stach in 2022.
The last time these two sides met was in 2010, in a 3-1 victory for Germany in Frankfurt. The goals on that day came from Bastian Schweinsteiger (2) and Philipp Lahm. Former Wolfsburg man Edin Dzeko got the only goal for the visitors.
Bosnia have seven squad members that play in either the Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2. The most notable of these is Stuttgart’s Ermedin Demirović, who has several friends in the Germany camp, including: Chris Führich, Alexander Nübel, Jamie Leweling, Angelo Stiller, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Deniz Undav.
The hosts have not had the best of times recently. They are without a win in their past eight games across all competitions and suffered a 5-2 defeat in their Nations League opener against the Netherlands. Still, they were able to pick up a point last time out versus Hungary.
1:26
Watch: The best of Tim KleindienstThe Borussia Mönchengladbach man has enjoyed a strong start to the season, scoring three goals across the first six matchdays. Take a look at some of his best moments for former club Heidenheim and Gladbach amongst the elite.
They are four uncapped players included in Julian Nagelsmann’s latest squad. While Janis Blaswich was called up last year, he didn’t make it on to the field of play, while Tim Kleindienst, Jonathan Burkardt and Jamie Leweling are also all preparing for a potential first senior appearance.
Strong Nations League startFollowing a revitalising UEFA Euro 2024 on home soil, Germany kicked off the newest Nations League campaign in positive fashion. They kicked off with a 5-0 hammering of Hungary before playing out a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
© IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel
Follow all of the build-up and live action from Germany’s UEFA Nations League clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zenica.