Netherlands VS Germany

The Netherlands head into this World Cup encounter after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Morocco, followed by a 2-3 defeat on penalties. Cody Gakpo scored for the Dutch in the 72nd minute, while Issa Diop equalised deep into stoppage time. Despite having only 29 percent possession, the Netherlands created six attempts and managed two efforts on target, while Morocco produced 11 shots with five on target. Defensive consistency remains a concern for the Oranje, who have conceded in each of their last six matches, allowing seven goals during that run. They will therefore need greater organisation at the back if they are to cope with Germany's attacking options. Germany also arrive after a 1-1 draw in their previous World Cup fixture, with Paraguay eventually prevailing 3-4 in the penalty shootout. Kai Havertz put Germany ahead in the 54th minute after Julio César Enciso had opened the scoring for Paraguay, with Jürgen Klopp's side dominating possession at 76 percent and registering 19 attempts. However, Germany have also shown some defensive vulnerability, conceding six goals across their last six matches and failing to keep a clean sheet in five of those games. Recent meetings between the two nations have generally been competitive, with Germany recording three wins, the Netherlands one, and two matches ending level since 2019. Their most recent meeting came in the Nations League in October 2024, when Germany secured a narrow 1-0 victory through Jamie Leweling.