MILAN - Germany came from behind to defeat Italy 2-1 at the San Siro on Thursday in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final, with Leon Goretzka heading the winning goal 14 minutes from time.

The second leg is in Dortmund on Sunday, and the winners will host the Nations League semi-finals, where they will meet Denmark or Portugal, and final in June.

Nicolo Barella played a pass into the box for Matteo Politano who pulled the ball back towards Moise Kean and the ball fell to Sandro Tonali who drove his shot into the corner.

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Germany continued to enjoy more possession, but while Goretzka headed over and sent another effort straight at keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, the visitors' keeper Oliver Baumann had to parry away shots from Tonali and Kean.

Nadiem Amiri sent a free kick just over the bar before the break and Italy took their lead into the interval.

Germany equalised four minutes into the second half when Joshua Kimmich floated the ball into the box and unmarked substitute Tim Kleindienst rose to power a header past Donnarumma with his first touch.

"There were a couple of situations that we paid too heavy a price for over the course of the game," Italy manager Luciano Spalletti told RAI Sport.

"It was a pass from midfield, they found someone free in the box."

Tonali played a deft back-heeled pass into Kean who hit a snap shot over the bar and Giacomo Raspadori was sent through one-on-one with the keeper but Baumann saved with his leg, while Goretzka headed wide from another Kimmich cross.

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The winner came from Kimmich's corner which looked to have gone into the net without a touch, but Goretzka got the slightest of touches to the ball before it beat Donnarumma.

"I'm very happy for him (Goretzka). I thought he played a great game, especially in the second half, both defensively and with his presence in the box," Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann said.

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"He influenced the game in both ways. It was a top performance."

Italy piled forward, Barella pulling his shot wide from a corner and Baumann saving from Daniel Maldini but the Germans held on to take a one-goal cushion back to Dortmund with their first away win over Italy since 1986, playing as West Germany.

The Italians will hope to relive memories of 2006 at the Westfalenstadion, when they beat Germany in the World Cup semi-finals before going on to lift the trophy.