Greece stunned Jürgen Klopp's Germany 1-0 at the WWK Arena in Augsburg, Dimitrios Kourbelis's 74th-minute strike giving the promoted side a second successive UEFA Nations League A win and leaving Klopp still winless after two matches in charge.
Match facts
- Result: Germany 0-1 Greece (half-time 0-0)
- Competition: UEFA Nations League A, Group 2, Matchday 2
- Venue: WWK Arena, Augsburg
- Scorers: Greece - D. Kourbelis 74'; Germany - none
- Red cards: None
- Attendance: 28,945
- Next: Germany v Serbia, Thursday 1 October (Allianz Arena, Munich); Greece v Netherlands, Thursday 1 October (Toumba, Thessaloniki); then Greece v Germany, Sunday 4 October
How the match unfolded
Klopp's first home game as Germany coach — after a 1-1 draw in Amsterdam where Cody Gakpo cancelled out Felix Nmecha — started slowly. Debutant Bambasé Conté flashed an early effort wide, and Germany needed half an hour to settle. Karim Adeyemi broke into the box and shot over, then forced a save from range, but Konstantinos Tzolakis and a disciplined Greek block kept the first half goalless despite Germany's territorial control.
Yellow cards to Yann Bisseck, Georgios Vagiannidis, Konstantinos Karetsas and Panagiotis Retsos punctuated a physical first period without a goal.
The pattern continued after the break. Germany held about three-quarters of the ball (75.5% possession on BBC Sport) and piled into the box, yet clear chances were scarce. Greece grew into the counters. Christos Tzolis ran through on the right around the 73rd minute without finding a teammate, then a minute later drove down the left. His cutback deflected into the path of Kourbelis, on as a 59th-minute substitute with Fotis Ioannidis, and the midfielder's shot — left-footed from the edge of the area — struck Joshua Kimmich and deceived Alexander Nübel for 0-1. Ioannidis, introduced in the same double change, did not score; match centres credit Kourbelis alone.
Germany could not respond. Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Burkardt had come on at 65 minutes, Serge Gnabry at 75, but late headers and efforts from Wirtz and Anton Stach missed the target. There were no red cards. Chris Kavanagh refereed. FotMob named Tzolakis player of the match (8.7) after five saves; Greece's only shot on target was the winner.
What it means for Group 2
Greece top League A Group 2 on six points from two wins after also beating Serbia 2-1 in Belgrade on Matchday 1 — their first-ever competitive win over Germany according to match reports. The Netherlands sit second on four points. Germany are third on one point (D1 L1). Serbia have none. Klopp remains without a win in his opening two games.
What happens next
On Thursday 1 October Germany host Serbia at the Allianz Arena in Munich and Greece face the Netherlands at Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki. Three days later Greece host Germany in Thessaloniki, with the Netherlands against Serbia in Eindhoven.