Germany suffered a historic 1-0 defeat against Greece at the WWK Arena in Augsburg, leaving new manager Jürgen Klopp winless after two games in charge.
Dimitris Kourbelis scored the decisive goal 15 minutes from time to silence the home crowd and secure a first victory for the Greek national team over Germany in football history.
The result leaves Germany with a single point from their opening two UEFA Nations League matches following a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in Amsterdam. Greece now lead the group with six points after previously defeating Serbia 2-1 in Belgrade.
Defensive struggle in Augsburg
Germany entered the match seeking their first win under Klopp after opening their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Xavi Hernández's Netherlands side at the Johan Cruyff Arena. However, the four-time World Cup winners struggled to break down a resilient Greek defensive shape at the WWK Arena in Bavaria.
Klopp took charge of the national side following a successful nine-year tenure at Liverpool, where he won both the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League. German football officials appointed the 59-year-old manager to rebuild the national team's tactical identity following disappointing exits in recent major tournaments.
Greek head coach Ivan Jovanovic deployed a compact defensive strategy designed to close down central spaces, absorb pressure near their penalty box, and launch quick counter-attacks. Germany controlled heavy ball possession and pushed play into the opposition half, but lacked clarity and incisiveness in the final third.
Karim Adeyemi stood out as Germany's most dangerous attacking threat during a tight opening half. The Barcelona forward repeatedly attempted to alter the pace of Germany's attack and created the two clearest opportunities of the first 45 minutes.
Adeyemi's first opportunity came after Germany intercepted a Greek corner kick and launched a swift transition down the field. The forward carried the ball into the penalty area facing Greek goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, but lifted his finishing effort too high over the crossbar.
Moments later, Adeyemi tested Tzolakis again with a powerful, swerving shot from outside the penalty box. Tzolakis, who won the UEFA Europa Conference League with Olympiacos, reacted with a brilliant outstretched hand to turn the ball away and keep the scoreline level.
Squad changes and tactical shifts
Klopp was forced to restructure his attacking options before kickoff after Arsenal forward Kai Havertz sustained a muscle injury, with Ebnoutalib taking his place in the starting lineup. The German manager also made four tactical rotations to refresh his starting team.
In goal, VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel replaced Marc-André ter Stegen. In defense, Josha Vagnoman stepped in for Treu at right back, while Yann Aurel Bisseck replaced Nico Schlotterbeck to allow the Borussia Dortmund central defender to rest. In midfield, debutant Conté replaced Nadiem Amiri in the attacking playmaker role.
Jovanovic made minimal adjustments to the Greek starting XI that had defeated Serbia in Belgrade. The Serbian coach introduced Giannis Androutsos in place of Kourbelis and started Tetteh ahead of Kostoulas, preserving the defensive organization that had proven successful in their opening fixture.
Germany maintained pressure immediately after the restart, and debutant Conté nearly broke the tie with a curling shot aimed toward the top corner. Tzolakis once again stretched to tip the dangerous effort wide, increasing Germany's growing frustration on the pitch.
Late winner silences home supporters
With 30 minutes remaining in the match, Greece shifted away from their deep defensive block and began attacking Nübel's goal with greater frequency. Although Germany retained possession, they gradually lost tactical control, energy, and confidence as the second half progressed.
Greece created a clear warning opportunity when forward Fotis Ioannidis struck a low effort that shaved the outside of the post. The breakthrough finally arrived in the 75th minute following a sustained period of Greek pressure.
Substitute Kourbelis collected the ball in the center of the penalty area and fired a left-footed strike toward goal. The shot took a significant deflection off German midfielder Joshua Kimmich, deceiving Nübel and settling into the back of the net.
Trailing with 15 minutes left, Klopp reacted by bringing on Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry and adding extra attacking players to the field. Gnabry managed to create one late scoring opportunity, but Tzolakis again denied the German side with another confident save inside his area.
Historic achievement for Greece
The final whistle confirmed a landmark victory for Greece, who celebrated their first ever win against Germany in international football. The triumph caps a perfect start to their UEFA Nations League campaign with two victories from two matches, placing them firmly at the top of the group standings.
The UEFA Nations League serves as a primary competitive stage between major tournaments, giving national teams an opportunity to secure seeding and tournament qualification paths. Greece's victory over Germany represents one of their most significant competitive achievements since their historic European Championship triumph two decades ago.
For Germany, the loss marks Klopp's first defeat as head coach following his appointment to lead the national team. With just one point from two matches, Germany face mounting tactical questions ahead of their remaining Nations League fixtures.
Greece, who famously won UEFA Euro 2004 as major underdogs, will look to build on their momentum in the upcoming group fixtures. Germany will aim to address their offensive struggles before returning to Nations League action.
