The Netherlands beat Greece 7-0 in Amsterdam while Germany defeated Serbia 3-1 in Belgrade, setting up a decisive Nations League group finale between the two on Monday in Berlin.
The Dutch victory at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Friday featured a first-half hat-trick by Tijjani Reijnders and goals from Crysencio Summerville, Jurriën Timber (twice) and Donyell Malen. Both teams had eight points from their opening four matches. Coach Xavi Hernández's side took an early lead when Summerville finished past goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis in the sixth minute after Konstantinos Mavropanos played the ball into Dutch feet. Reijnders completed his hat-trick inside 33 minutes, with Denzel Dumfries providing two assists and Malen another two.
In Belgrade, Germany won 3-1 in driving rain before roughly 5,000 children and only 70 German fans, as Serbia played under a UEFA stadium ban for racist behavior. Srđan Babić scored an own goal in the third minute. Florian Wirtz added a second in the 14th. Debutant Brajan Gruda made it 3-0 after the break. Babić scored for Serbia in the 56th, and Vanja Dragojević was sent off in the 75th.
The results leave the Netherlands top of Group A2 with 11 points, three ahead of Germany and Greece on eight points each. The 7-0 victory gives the Netherlands a decisive head-to-head advantage over Greece, whom they drew 2-2 with in October. Because the teams drew 1-1 in Amsterdam in September, Monday's match at Berlin's Olympiastadion will decide first place and direct qualification for the March quarter-finals. A draw would suffice for the Netherlands, but Germany must win to advance.
"I was not surprised, because in training it was already going very well," Hernández said after the match. "It is generally difficult to maintain this level, and especially against Germany. I want to enjoy this now, and tomorrow we'll see." Germany coach Jürgen Klopp said before the Serbia match: "We want to qualify for the final in Berlin, that is beyond question." Netherlands captain Frenkie de Jong, standing in for the injured Virgil van Dijk, said: "It's always a special match."
