Greece hand Klopp first defeat as Germany manager

LAST UPDATE | 23 hrs ago

Germany 0-1 Greece

Portugal 2-1 Norway

Denmark 2-0 Wales

Netherlands 2-1 Serbia 

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JURGEN KLOPP TASTED defeat for the first time as Germany manager as his side lost 1-0 to Greece in Augsburg on Sunday, with Dimitrios Kourbelis scoring the only goal.

In his first game on home soil, Klopp’s side offered little in attack and lacked the energy they had displayed on the former Liverpool coach’s debut in a 1-1 away draw with the Netherlands on Thursday.

The Germans had struggled to find a way through the Greek defence for the opening hour before the visitors broke through on the counter, with Kourbelis scoring in the 74th minute.

It was Greece’s first ever win against Germany.

Several regulars missed out with Klopp trying to get a better idea of the talent at his disposal, but the defeat illustrated the scale of his task in reviving the flagging giants.

The 59-year-old took over Germany in July after the four-time World Cup winners were eliminated at the last-32 stage of the global showpiece in North America, their third consecutive early exit from the tournament.

Klopp had included 16 uncapped players in his 44-man squad as he warned that he would be using the competition to have a look at the players at his disposal.

Among the five alterations to his starting XI was Hoffenheim midfielder Bambase Conte, a shock call-up after playing just four top-flight matches.

Conte looked sharp and shot just wide with two minutes gone.

Barcelona forward Karim Adeyemi had the best chance of the opening half when he stormed past the Greek defence on the counter, but sprayed his shot just over the crossbar.

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Conte was again dangerous after the break, forcing a low fingertip save from Greek goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis.

With Germany dominating possession but offering little in attack, the visitors grew bolder and more incisive on the counter and should have taken the lead when Fotis Ioannidis blasted wide of the goal with just Alexander Nuebel to beat.

Greece broke through moments later, however, when Kourbelis’s low shot took a wicked deflection off Joshua Kimmich and rolled into the bottom left corner.

Greece then held firm for a breakthrough win over Germany, after seven defeats and three draws dating back to 1960.

Goncalo Ramos started in place of Cristiano Ronaldo and scored the winner as Portugal made it back-to-back victories to start their Nations League title defence by beating Norway 2-1 in Oslo on Sunday.

Jorge Jesus’s men have responded well to their tame World Cup last-16 loss to Spain, having also beaten Wales 1-0 in Group A4 on Thursday.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo was named among the substitutes for the first time for Portugal since a Nations League game against Scotland in September 2024, and did not get onto the pitch as Jesus looks to manage his minutes across an expanded international break.

World Cup quarter-finalists Norway were left to rue some wasteful finishing in front of goal as they failed to build on their opening 3-2 win over Denmark.

Wales wilted in Copenhagen as a 2-0 defeat to Denmark left them bottom of their Nations League group.

After a first half in which Wales were very much second best and fortunate to reach the break level, Denmark’s domination was rewarded by a Ben Davies own goal and a Gustav Isaksen strike.

Wales lost Thursday’s opener to Portugal 1-0 and it leaves them without a point – and a goal – in Group A4, and already facing an uphill battle to avoid relegation.

It does not get any easier for Wales with a visit from Erling Haaland’s Norway on Thursday before a return date against Denmark in Cardiff.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, gave Xavi Hernandez his first win as head coach with a 2-1 Nations League victory over Serbia in Belgrade.

The Dutch were held to a 1-1 draw by Germany in Xavi’s bow on Thursday, but two goals from Mexx Meerdink were enough for them to get past a spirited Serbia and move to four points from two games in Group A2.

The Oranje turned to Barcelona great Xavi after a disappointing World Cup last-32 exit at the hands of Morocco.

Serbia passed up a good opportunity to take a 17th-minute lead when Dejan Joveljic could only shoot straight at Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen when completely unmarked inside the area.

Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo then hobbled off injured in a blow to the Netherlands and was replaced by Ruben van Bommel.

But Xavi’s men forged ahead on the half-hour mark as AZ Alkmaar striker Meerdink drilled in a penalty to score his first international goal after Aleksa Terzic fouled Crysencio Summerville.

Serbia coach Veljko Paunovic brought on striker Luka Jovic at half-time and the change paid off almost immediately, as the former Real Madrid man turned the ball in following a goalmouth scramble less than a minute after the restart.

But the visitors reclaimed the lead in the 69th minute as Meerdink, who made his Netherlands debut against Germany, fired a left-footed shot into the bottom corner after being played in by substitute Guus Til.