Germany responded quickly to going behind to Lorenzo Pellegrini's second-half effort for Italy, with Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich in the right place at the right time to fire the visitors to a UEFA Nations League point in Bologna.

Italy 1-1 Germany
Goals: Pellegrini 70' (assist: Gnonto), 1-1 Kimmich 73'

Both sides were looking to make the perfect start to their Nations League Group A3 challenge at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium. Germany hadn't won on Italian soil since a 2-1 friendly victory back in 1986, but Hansi Flick's men did boast a four-game unbeaten run against the Azzurri that dated back to 2012. The visitors showed plenty of intent to add to that sequence in the opening stages, with Thomas Müller, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry all menacing. For their part, Italy made 10 changes to the team that lost 3-0 to Argentina for the Finalissima trophy on Wednesday. Forward Gianluca Scamacca was one of the new faces in the home set-up and the Sassuolo man went closest to opening the scoring in the opening half with a low shot that clipped the outside of Manuel Neuer's post.

Picking up from where they left off before the break, Italy maintained the pressure at the start of the second half and should have edged in front when a cross from the right arrived to Scamacca who had the goal at his mercy. To Germany's relief, however, the striker's header angled wide of the upright. Roberto Mancini's side maintained their high tempo and would later put that miss behind them with Pellegrini taking full advantage of substitute Wilfried Gnonto's excellent cross to divert in for 1-0. The lead would be short lived, though. The four-time World Champions got on the attack immediately and when Jonas Hofmann's cross from the right struck Timo Werner, Kimmich was alert to smash the loose ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma for the game's equaliser.

Match stats

• Kimmich brought his international goals tally up to four in 65 senior appearances.
• Germany are undefeated in five meetings with Italy, stretching back to their UEFA Euro 2012 semi-final, which the Italians edged 2-1.
• Müller is the most-capped player in Germany's squad with 113. He had three goals and three assists in FIFA World Cup qualifying.
• Teenager Jamal Musiala won his 12th senior Germany cap.
• Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann is the only uncapped player in Flick's 26-man ensemble.

Teams

Italy: Donnarumma - Florenzi (c), Acerbi, Bastoni, Biraghi (Dimarco 80') - Frattesi (Ricci 85'), Cristante, Tonali - Politano (Gnonto 64'), Scamacca (Cancellieri 85'), Pellegrini
Unused subs: Cragno, Meret, Calabria, Pobega, Luis Felipe, Barella, Mancini, Raspadori
Out: Berardi (thigh), Insigne (calf), Spinazzola (unconfirmed), Verratti (calf)
Coach: Roberto Mancini 

Germany: Neuer (c) - Kehrer, Süle, Rüdiger, Henrichs (Hofmann 58') - Kimmich, Goretzka (Gündogan 69') - Gnabry (Raum 80'), Müller (Havertz 69'), Sane (Musiala 58') - Werner
Unused subs: Trapp, Baumann, Tah, L. Nmecha, Klostermann, Brandt, Schlotterbeck
Out: Reus (flu)
Coach: Hansi Flick

As it happened!

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