Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay scored in stoppage time to move Netherlands top of Group C as Ronald Koeman's side came from behind to beat Northern Ireland 3-1 in Rotterdam.
The Oranje knew a win would lift them above both Germany and their opponents, yet they fell behind in the 75th minute when substitute Josh Magennis headed in Stuart Dallas' cross completely against the run of play.
However, Depay levelled 10 minutes from time and De Jong, brought on shortly after his team fell behind, prodded in on the line in the first minute of stoppage time after his initial effort had looped into the air.
Depay rolled in Netherlands' third - and his sixth of the campaign – to leave Northern Ireland with a huge task to claim a top-two finish with November fixtures against Germany and Ronald Koeman's side still to come.
Netherlands had won 16 successive games at De Kuip but did not look at home during a first half when they managed just one shot on target, via Georginio Wijnaldum's back, which Bailey Peacock-Farrell was equal to.
Northern Ireland's ploy to slow the game down was evident to referee Benoit Bastien, who warned Shane Ferguson for time-wasting less than 60 seconds after the restart and booked Peacock-Farrell with 53 minutes gone for the same offence.
The frustration prompted Koeman to make a double change - Donyell Malen and Donny van de Beek introduced in the 66th minute - with Peacock-Farrell denying Steven Bergwijn and Jonny Evans hooking clear a Wijnaldum effort.
However, having not threatened Jasper Cillessen's goal in the opening 75 minutes, Northern Ireland remarkably went ahead. Both Matthijs de Ligt and Daley Blind failed to clear the lines and Dallas stood up a cross that substitute Magennis reached before De Ligt to head home.
Depay went straight down the other end and forced Peacock-Farrell into an unconvincing save, but the Lyon forward was not denied 10 minutes from time when he collected Malen's cross and rolled a smart finish between Evans' legs and into the net.
An unmarked Malen then headed over but De Jong found the net in stoppage time, prodding over from on the line at the second attempt to convert a deflected Bergwijn cross.
Depay added a third after a good run by Frenkie de Jong to leave Netherlands, Germany and Northern Ireland all on 12 points in the table.
