Klopp earns first win as Germany beat Serbia
Jurgen Klopp secured his first victory as Germany head coach as his side defeated Serbia 2-0 in the Nations League.
Match Report
Florian Wirtz delivered an outstanding performance for Germany at the Allianz Arena, scoring the second goal after Tom Bischof had put the hosts ahead shortly before the interval.
Germany dominated from the opening minutes, with Aleksandar Pavlovic curling an effort just wide before Nick Woltemade headed off target. Serge Gnabry also missed the target in the 18th minute after being played through by an excellent pass from Wirtz.
Serbia goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic was then forced into two impressive saves to keep out attempts from Gnabry and Wirtz. However, he was powerless six minutes before half-time when Bischof smashed the ball into the roof of the net after Wirtz’s effort had rebounded off the post.
Germany maintained the pressure after the restart. Petrovic denied Bischof with another strong save, while Said El Mala saw a deflected shot narrowly miss the right-hand post.
Woltemade missed a remarkable chance from close range when he fired over from Philipp Treu’s cross. Germany eventually added a second goal shortly after the hour mark, with Wirtz showing excellent technique to control Maximilian Mittelstadt’s pass, beat Srdjan Babic and calmly finish.
Serbia struggled to create opportunities, registering their only shot of the match in the 78th minute. Jonas Urbig comfortably saved Filip Kostic’s long-range effort as Germany’s control of possession continued to frustrate the visitors.
Wirtz Leads Germany to Three Points
The main concern for Klopp will likely be Germany’s inability to convert more of their chances. The hosts recorded 32 shots and accumulated 3.82 expected goals (xG), including six big chances, but finished with only two goals.
Germany had already managed 16 shots in the opening half alone — matching their total from the entirety of their previous meeting with Greece.
For Klopp, however, Wirtz’s display would have been particularly encouraging. The Liverpool midfielder was heavily involved throughout the match and impressed both with his attacking contribution and his work to win possession high up the pitch.
Despite an inconsistent season at club level, Wirtz produced one of his strongest performances for Germany. He created a match-high six chances, recorded eight touches inside Serbia’s penalty area and successfully completed two of his three dribbles. He also played a key role in the build-up to Bischof’s opening goal.
Wirtz’s goal was his 12th for Germany, scored at the age of 21 years and 37 days. Only Edmund Conen, in 1935 at 20 years and 281 days, and Lukas Podolski, in 2006 at 20 years and 357 days, had reached 12 international goals at a younger age for Germany.
