AMSTERDAM (AP) — Captain Virgil van Dijk scored only his second international goal and the Netherlands ran riot late in the second half Saturday to beat old rival Germany 3-0 in the UEFA Nations League.
The comprehensive defeat at the Johan Cruyff Arena left Germany at the bottom of Group 1 in the new competition's top-tier League A days before it heads to Paris to take on group leader and World Cup champion France.
It also heaped more pressure on Germany coach Joachim Loew, who opted to stay in the job after the 2014 world champion crashed out of the summer's World Cup in Russia at the group stage.
A corner from the right by Memphis Depay exposed German defensive frailties. Babel rose between Jonas Hector and Mats Hummels to head against the underside of the bar and the ball bounced up invitingly for the unmarked Liverpool central defender to head in.
Depay doubled the lead in the 87th minute, calmly finishing after a quick break down the right by substitute Quincy Promes. The Olympique Lyon striker then hit the crossbar in extra time before Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum made it 3-0 with virtually the last kick of the match as Germany crumbled.
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