Third time lucky. Jurgen Klopp finally has his first win as Germany coach, at the third attempt, and it came with style and energy. Germany beat Serbia 2-0 at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Thursday night in the UEFA Nations League, ending a nervy start to the Klopp era. Here is how it happened, who starred and what it means for Germany’s group hopes.
Klopp Avoids an Unwanted Germany Record
The pressure was real. After a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands and a shock 1-0 defeat to Greece, the 59-year-old was one game from becoming the first Germany coach to win none of his opening three matches. This was also the national team’s first win since their World Cup exit to Paraguay in the round of 32. Klopp’s answer was a young, hungry lineup built to press.
Germany vs Serbia: How the Goals Came
From the first whistle, Germany played like a team that had heard every doubter. They had as many shots on goal in the first half as in their entire previous match against Greece (16). Chances fell to Derry Scherhant, Nick Woltemade and Serge Gnabry, but Serbia’s Djordje Petrovic kept them out.
The breakthrough came in the 39th minute. A rush forward, a cross from right-back Philipp Treu and a pass from Aleksandar Pavlovic eventually found Florian Wirtz. Wirtz twisted free with slick footwork and hit the post, and Tom Bischof reacted to the rebound to score, his first goal for the senior national team.
After the break, Serbia sat deep and nearly stole a goal against the run of play. Germany kept coming, and Wirtz added a second in the 61st minute with a neat finish in the box.
Florian Wirtz: Man of the Match
Wirtz was directly involved in both goals and finished with five key passes, a 93 percent pass success rate and two completed dribbles. One report noted that Klopp’s biggest smile on the touchline came when Wirtz won the ball back in the final third. That is Klopp football in one picture: creativity paired with relentless pressing, from a player Klopp used to coach at Liverpool.
Nations League Group A2 Table After Matchday 3
Greece lead with seven points, the Netherlands have five, Germany are third on four, and Serbia have lost all three games and have no points. Germany are right in the hunt for the group, but there is little room for more slip-ups.
What the Win Means for the Klopp Era
This is only one result, but the signs were encouraging. The pressing was sharp, the young players looked fearless and the Allianz Arena finally had something to celebrate. Serbia were a limited test, and the earlier struggles against the Netherlands and Greece show there is still work to do.
Even so, a side that creates this many chances will score goals consistently. Klopp has his first win, his players have momentum, and German fans have a real reason to believe.
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