Germany Defeats Serbia to Give Jürgen Klopp His First Win
The victory ends an opening winless streak and demonstrates the depth of a transformed national team roster.
Germany defeated Serbia 2-0 in Munich on Thursday, handing manager Jürgen Klopp his first victory at the international level. The result came in Germany's third match of the UEFA Nations League campaign.
Midfielder Tom Bischof broke the deadlock in the 39th minute. Florian Wirtz struck the post after dribbling past defenders, and Bischof scored from the rebound. Wirtz added the second goal midway through the second half, taking a pass from Maximilian Mittelstädt and placing a low shot inside the post.
The win halted an unwanted start for Klopp. He had begun his tenure with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands and a 1-0 home defeat to Greece. A third consecutive match without a victory would have been the first such start for a Germany coach.
Klopp altered his roster significantly following the loss to Greece. After calling up an extended group of 44 players for the international window, he selected an entirely altered starting lineup. Several regular senior starters sat out.
Goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, forward Derry Scherhant and midfielder Vitaly Janelt all made their senior international debuts from the start. Klopp also introduced Said El Mala in the second half. Celtic player Mika Baur entered as a substitute in the 77th minute, becoming the 1,000th man to play for Germany.
Germany controlled possession and prevented Serbia from generating sustained pressure. The visiting side created only rare opportunities on counterattacks. Nick Woltemade and Serge Gnabry had earlier chances to extend Germany's margin, but Wirtz's effort settled the match.
Klopp told German television network ZDF that he was highly pleased with the defensive work. He praised the group for effective pressing and coordinated movement without the ball.
Germany next travels to play Greece on Sunday.
