Klopp Records First Win as Germany Coach Against Serbia
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Jurgen Klopp secured his first victory as Germany’s head coach as his team defeated Serbia 2-0 in their UEFA Nations League match in Munich on Thursday.
Florian Wirtz and Tom Bischof scored for Germany as a young German side produced a much-improved performance to claim all three points.
The victory also eased the pressure on Klopp, who had started his tenure with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands before Germany suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to Greece.
Another draw or defeat against Serbia would have left Klopp without a win in his first three matches as Germany coach. However, his team responded with a convincing performance.
Germany dominated much of the match and kept Serbia under pressure for long periods. The hosts also made several changes to their lineup, with Klopp selecting a completely different starting eleven from the previous game.
Three players made their Germany debuts. Bayern Munich goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, Freiburg forward Derry Scherhant and Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt were all handed their first international appearances.
Celtic’s Mika Baur also entered the game as a substitute in the 77th minute, becoming the 1,000th player to represent Germany at senior international level.
Germany created several chances during the opening stages, with Aleksandar Pavlovic, Serge Gnabry and Bischof all coming close to scoring.
Serbia struggled to create opportunities and managed only one notable counter-attack during the first half.
Germany eventually took the lead shortly before half-time. Wirtz produced a fine individual move inside the penalty area and struck the post, with Bischof reacting quickly to score from the rebound.
Germany continued to control the game after the interval and kept Serbia deep in its own half.
Nick Woltemade had an excellent opportunity to double the lead in the 59th minute but sent his effort over the crossbar from close range.
Wirtz made sure Germany did not miss another chance shortly afterwards. The Liverpool midfielder controlled the ball inside the box, created space with his first touch and calmly placed his shot into the bottom corner.
The second goal effectively settled the contest and Germany comfortably saw out the remaining minutes.
Klopp praised Wirtz after the match, particularly after the player had faced criticism over his recent club performances in England. The Germany coach said the midfielder’s display showed that he remains in good form.
The win gives Klopp and Germany a positive result as they continue their Nations League campaign and look to build momentum under their new head coach.
