Germany defeated Serbia 3-1 in a subdued Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade on Friday. The result sees the German men’s national team draw level on points with Greece in UEFA Nations League Group B and sets up an intriguing clash on Monday against Netherlands, the group leader.
It has been a new-look Germany front under Jürgen Klopp, with rising young guns Brajan Gruda and Derry Scherhant joining Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz in the attack.
Havertz got it going early, turning a Maximilian Mittelstädt
corner delivery goalward for luckless Serbian defender Srđan Babić to turn into his own net in just the third minute. Wirtz compounded the advantage in the 14th with an excellent chip over goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić from close range.
And after an all-Germany first half, Gruda finished the job early in the second with a sizzling low shot driven in from range in the 50th minute.
However, own-goal scorer Babić redeemed himself in the 56th with a scrambled finish off goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen’s parry of a preceding shot. Momentarily, the Serbians were back in it and threatened to come up with a second. But the phase faded and the Germans regained the smooth control and composure that had defined the first half, despite a flurry of tough challenges that seemed aimed at disrupting German rhyhtm.
Serbia’s tough play would come to a head in the 76th minute, when Vanja Dragojević was sent off. Initially awarded a yellow for planting a boot on Joshua Kimmich in the challenge, the substitute midfielder saw his punishment upgraded after video review. The sending off effectively ended Serbia’s bid at introducing late drama to the proceedings, and it was followed in the 89th with a double-yellow for Adrija Živković for dissent. Just like that, both of Serbia’s half-time introductions were off, with relegation from the top brackets confirmed with the result.
Klopp and Germany can now turn full attention to Monday’s match against the Netherlands on Monday in Berlin. The Dutch put on a tour de force today, demolishing Greece 7-0 in Amsterdam. It will be another measuring-stick match for a German side that is still defining itself under the new manager. On Friday, it was a step forward.
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