Kourbelis winner gives Greece first victory over Germany in Nations League

Greece defeated Germany for the first time on Sunday, winning 1-0 in Augsburg through a 74th-minute goal from Dimitrios Kourbelis. The Nations League result also brought Jürgen Klopp his first defeat as Germany head coach, following a draw in his opening match away to the Netherlands. German reporting by SID said Joshua Kimmich deflected the decisive shot beyond goalkeeper Alexander Nübel.

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The victory kept Ivan Jovanovic's team at the top of Group A2 with six points from two matches. According to Kathimerini's match report, the Netherlands have four points, Germany one and Serbia none. Greece's result therefore preserved a two-point lead over the Dutch, while Germany remain without a win after the first two games of their campaign.

Klopp had made five changes to the team that started in Amsterdam. The German Football Association confirmed that Nübel, Yann Aurel Bisseck, Josha Vagnoman, Younes Ebnoutalib and debutant Bambasé Conté came into the starting line-up. It was a substantially altered side for the new coach's first home assignment, but the changes did not produce a first victory.

Kathimerini reported that Greece began in a 4-4-2 formation, with Vangelis Pavlidis and Andreas Tetteh leading the attack. Germany threatened through Karim Adeyemi, whose effort forced a save from Konstantinos Tzolakis in the first half. The teams reached the interval without a goal, leaving the match level before Greece's decisive second-half breakthrough.

The visitors created a clear opening before they scored, with Pavlidis winning possession and supplying Fotis Ioannidis, who shot wide. Kathimerini's account described another attack beginning with Pavlidis before Christos Tzolis advanced on the left and found Kourbelis. His finish, helped by the deflection, settled the contest. Ioannidis later missed another opportunity as Greece protected their advantage.

The next round brings the group's leading two teams together, with Greece due to host the Netherlands on Thursday. Germany will be at home to Serbia that day, according to the DFB fixture list, before travelling to Greece for the return meeting on 4 October. Those fixtures follow an opening pair of matches that have left the Germans five points behind Greece.