Greece beat Germany 1-0 in Augsburg on Sunday to move top of their Nations League group and ruin Jürgen Klopp’s first home game in charge of the hosts. Dimitris Kourbelis scored the only goal of the game in the 74th minute, a deflected low drive that handed Ivan Jovanovic’s side their first victory in 11 meetings with Germany.
The result leaves Greece leading Group A2 with six points from two matches, following their last-gasp 2-1 win over Serbia on Thursday. Germany sit third with a single point from two games, having drawn 1-1 with the Netherlands earlier in the week.
Germany had much the better of the ball in Augsburg, enjoying close to 80% possession in the first half alone, but were punished for sloppy defending, particularly after the interval, which allowed the visitors space to break into. Felix Nmecha fired wide in the 54th minute, moments after the Greece goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis had palmed a Joshua Kimmich free kick over the bar. Greece then came close again in the 66th after Kimmich lost possession in his own half, only for substitute Fotis Ioannidis to shoot just wide of the post.
Klopp was phlegmatic about the defeat afterwards. “Personally, I’m completely unbothered by it,” he told ARD. “I’ve lost far more matches in my life than I would have liked … but as long as you draw the right conclusions, a loss is ultimately just a piece of information – no different from a win.” He added that his team “absolutely need these kinds of matches – they are exactly the games we wanted to have”. Kimmich said the new coach “has been very clear about what he wants – as players, we need to implement it”. Greece host the Netherlands on Thursday, while Germany welcome Serbia.
Elsewhere, the Netherlands won 2-1 in Serbia thanks to a double from Mexx Meerdink on just his second appearance for his country, giving new coach Xavi Hernández his first victory after Thursday’s draw with Germany. Meerdink, who plays for Eredivisie leaders AZ, put the visitors ahead with a confidently taken penalty in the 30th minute. Luka Jovic equalised for the hosts, but Meerdink struck again in the 69th minute to settle the match.
“It’s a boyhood dream,” Meerdink said. “Everything is happening so quickly. You just don’t realise what can happen in the space of a week. It’s also great that we managed to win here. I did feel a little pressure, but you play that out of your system. And then to score two is fantastic.”
The win came at a cost. Cody Gakpo went off in the 17th minute and will undergo a scan on Monday. “It’s his ankle, that’s all I know,” Xavi said of the Liverpool winger. “Tomorrow we will know, but hopefully it’s not too important.”
In Oslo, Portugal edged Norway 2-1 to stay top of Group A4 with two wins from two. João Félix scored for the second consecutive Portugal match, opening the scoring in the 17th minute, before Erling Haaland levelled in the 54th. Gonçalo Ramos restored the lead with a chip three minutes later to secure the points for Jorge Jesus’ side.
Portugal were without Bruno Fernandes, who was left out of the squad on Sunday. Jesus revealed beforehand that the Manchester United captain had “played through the pain” in Thursday’s 1-0 win over Wales. “He played with an injury he brought from Manchester United,” the head coach said. “He wasn’t his usual self … [but] he really wanted to play against Wales.”
Portugal remain in Scandinavia for their next fixture, away to Denmark on Thursday. Norway travel to Cardiff to face Wales, who earlier lost 2-0 to the Danes in Copenhagen.