Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Germany | UEFA Nations League | Pre Match

Sitting pretty at the summit of their UEFA Nations League section, Germany bid to take another step closer to the quarter-finals when they meet Bosnia-Herzegovina at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica on Friday.

Julian Nagelsmann's crop have taken four points from their first six on offer in League A Group 3, while their hosts sit third and are still searching for their maiden victory in this year's tournament.

Reeling from the heartbreak of a quarter-final elimination at their home European Championships, a vengeful Germany laid down an early Nations League marker with a 5-0 obliteration of Hungary in their opening battle, where five different names got on the scoresheet.

Die Mannschaft were on course to maintain their 100% start in the Netherlands when Denis Undav and Joshua Kimmich cancelled out Tijjani Reijnders's second-minute opener, only for Inter Milan's marauding wing-back Denzel Dumfries to steal a slice of the spoils for Oranje.

Nevertheless, Germany's superior defence means that they currently lead the way in League A Group 3 on goal difference, although second place would still suffice for direct entry into the quarter-finals, to be held next March before the semis and final in June.

As respectable as a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands is, that result prolonged Germany's struggles away from home, as the Euro 2024 quarter-finalists now have a mere four victories under their belt from their last 13 matches outside of German territory.

Furthermore, Die Mannschaft have remarkably only ever won one of their nine Nations League matches on the road - drawing each of their last four such matches - but few should expect Bosnia to prevent Nagelsmann's men making it two for 10 on Friday.

Yo-yoing from League B to League A ever since the Nations League's inception, Bosnia already look set for another two-horse battle with Hungary to avoid finishing dead last and suffering an automatic demotion back down to the second tier.

The Dragons' current third-placed ranking would give them the safety net of a relegation/promotion playoff, but Sergej Barbarez's one-point crop are only beating the Hungarians on goal difference, having actually managed to put the ball in the back of the net unlike the Magyars.

Both of those goals came against the Netherlands on the opening matchday, but Bosnia shipped five at the wrong end of the field in a chastening 5-2 defeat, before ensuring that they would end the first round of fixtures in third with a goalless draw against Hungary.

That 0-0 ended a horrendous run of seven straight defeats for the Dragons, who lost their last four Euro 2024 qualifiers to extend their wait for a maiden appearance at the continental championships as an independent nation, although they did turn out at the 2014 World Cup.

The hosts can take comfort from a three-game winning run at home in the Nations League, although they have never got one over Germany as an independent nation, last losing 3-1 in a 2010 friendly as Bastian Schweinsteiger netted twice from the penalty spot.