A fair result at the start of the UEFA Nations League Group A3: Germany secured a 1-1 draw (0-0) with Italy in Bologna on Saturday evening. Bayern's midfield motor Joshua Kimmich cancelled out Lorenzo Pellegrini's 70th-minute opener with a right-footed shot just three minutes later (73'). There are eight Bayern players in the squad, and coach Hansi Flick gave no less than seven of them a place in the starting XI for this classic fixture. Manuel Neuer, Niklas Süle, Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Thomas Müller, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané & Co. got off to a flying start, but Italy had the upper hand at the start of the second half. Jamal Musiala came off the bench for Sané after 59 minutes.
Kimmich earns reward after late surge
After a good start by the visitors, the game turned into a clash of equals with Roberto Mancini's Squadra Azzura. Gianluca Scamacca hit the post with a long-range effort on 35 minutes, while Gnabry had the best chance for the Germans at the other end after a lay-off from Goretzka. After the restart, the southern Europeans took a deserved lead through Pellegrini after some fine build-up play from Wilfried Gnonto, before Germany's late surge was rewarded with Kimmich's equaliser.
Next edition of the classic in just ten days' time
"The draw is too little for us, we wanted to win. We didn't manage to bring our game 100 per cent onto the pitch. We set out to do more. I hope we'll get more intensity on the pitch against England and play with a bit more purpose up front," summarised scorer and leader Kimmich after the final whistle. The next match for Flick's team is against England on Tuesday (7 June) at Bayern's home, the Allianz Arena, before the clash with Hungary in Budapest (11 June) and the reverse fixture against Italy in Mönchengladbach (14 June).
Nianzou celebrates a resounding win
FCB defender Tanguy Nianzou is currently in action with the France U20s at the prestigious youth tournament in Toulon. After a 4-2 defeat to Panama following penalties in their opening match and a 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia, the French thrashed Argentina's U20s 6-2 on Saturday, with Nianzou playing the full 90 minutes in central defence. This latest show-stopping win means the talents of the Équipe Tricolore end the qualifying campaign at the top of Group E with an impressive seven points.
Check out the other FC Bayern internationals who are in action in the UEFA Nations League:
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