Netherlands and Germany record emphatic Nations League victories

The Netherlands endured some nervy moments but in the end proved too strong for Bosnia and Herzegovina as they began their Nations League campaign with a 5-2 triumph at the Philips Stadion on Saturday.

Joshua Zirkzee scored on his first start for the Dutch to give the hosts a 13th-minute lead in their League A Group 3 encounter but they were caught by a swift counterattack 14 minutes later that saw Ermedin Demirovic equalise.

Tijjani Reijnders restored the home side’s lead on the stroke of halftime and Cody Gakpo made it 3-1 11 minutes into the second half.

The veteran forward Edin Dzeko pulled one back 17 minutes from time to offer Bosnia hope of getting something out of the game but Wout Weghorst and Xavi Simons scored in the closing stages to wrap up the victory.

View image in fullscreen Niclas Füllkrug scores for Germany. Photograph: Soccrates Images/Getty Images

In Dusseldörf, Germany’s Jamal Musiala scored once and set up three more goals as they crushed visitors Hungary 5-0 in a winning start to their campaign. The hosts took the lead in their Group A3 encounter with Niclas Füllkrug’s tap-in from midfielder Musiala’s assist following a good passing combination in the 27th minute.

With Hungary pushing for an equaliser, Musiala struck on the break in the 58th, completing a quick counterattack from a visitors’ corner.

Florian Wirtz then drilled in their third after a one-two with Musiala in the 66th before Havertz hit the woodwork again.

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Man-of-the-match Musiala then sent through Aleksandar Pavlovic in the 77th to slot in and Havertz also got on the scoresheet with an 81st-minute penalty.

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