Gakpo's late volley denies Klopp a winning return as Germany and Netherlands draw 1-1

Jurgen Klopp’s long-awaited return to the touchline ended in a 1-1 draw as Cody Gakpo’s late volley denied Germany victory against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, a match overshadowed by controversy, a brawl, and multiple VAR interventions.

Klopp, taking charge of Die Mannschaft for the first time since leaving Liverpool, looked set for a winning debut after Felix Nmecha gave Germany the lead in circumstances that immediately inflamed the hosts. Nmecha scored while the Netherlands were in disarray following an off-the-ball incident between Brian Brobbey and Jonathan Tah — Brobbey had signalled for a substitution after appearing to pick up an injury, yet Germany pressed on and converted, triggering an angry confrontation between both sets of players.

The match had already been laced with controversy before Germany’s goal. Klopp’s former Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk headed home from a corner to put the Netherlands ahead, only for VAR to disallow the effort — ruling that Brobbey had fouled goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen earlier in the move. There were also Dutch penalty appeals after an apparent Tah handball that the referee waved away.

Germany should have put the game to bed when Karim Adeyemi found himself facing an open net but somehow fired over, prompting an amused reaction from Klopp on the touchline before the Germany head coach broke into applause. Netherlands forward Mexx Meerdink was equally wasteful at the other end, firing wide when clean through and also striking the post.

With the clock running down, Gakpo ensured the spoils were shared, volleying home to level and deny Klopp the perfect start his performance had otherwise suggested was coming. The result means Klopp’s Germany debut ends without a win, though the manner of the evening — high intensity, physical confrontation, and late drama — bore all the hallmarks of the football he made his name with at Anfield.