Tim Kleindienst and Oliver Baumann comment on near freak own-goal in Nations League quarterfinal | OneFootball

German keeper Oliver Baumann more than justified his selection as Germany’s #1 during the current March international break on Thursday night. The TSG 1899 Hoffenheim skipper helped his country achieve a 1-2 away win at the San Siro in the first leg of the 2024/25 Nations League quarterfinal tie against Italy. Baumann was outstanding, making five excellent saves. All Baumann parries were unquestionably highlight-reel worthy.

Interestingly enough, perhaps Baumann’s best save of the evening came against one of his teammates. In the 78th minute, Tim Kleindienst inadvertently deflected a ball directly at Baumann from close range. The keeper whom das Erste expert Bastian Schweinsteiger called a “radiance of calm” reacted with lightning quick reflects, diving to clear the ball off the line.

The crucial save came just two minutes after Leon Goretzka gave the Germans the lead. In light of the fact that the incident swung the match, both Kleindienst and Baumann were asked about the scene in their respective post-match interviews. The two players each displayed selective memories when discussing him.

“I didn’t know it was him,” Baumann said, prompting his interviewer to confirm that it was indeed Kleindienst. “I just saw a ball come out of throng of bodies and I reacted to it.“

“I did?” the Borussia Mönchengladbach striker answered when the same das Erste interviewer reminded him that, after notching a 49th-minute equalizer, he nearly scored a second goal. “I don’t remember that.

“Oh that’s right,” Kleindienst recalled when prompted. “Sorry to Oly [Baumann] for that. I was tumbling down behind Schlotti [Nico Schlotterbeck] and didn’t see the ball until it was too late. Luckily, we had a great keeper.”

GGFN | Peter Weis