Germany claimed a first win under new coach Juergen Klopp on Thursday with a 2-0 Nations League victory over Serbia, while Portugal shrugged off the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo in Denmark and the Netherlands came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Greece. Klopp selected a completely new starting XI from the side that lost to Greece last time, handing debuts to goalkeeper Jonas Urbig and winger Derry Scherhant. Germany attacked the Serbia goal in waves, but it took until the 39th minute to take the lead as Florian Wirtz picked out Tom Bischof to score his first senior national team goal in his second cap.
After Nick Woltemade missed a sitter at the back post, Wirtz scored the second just past the hour-mark with a neat finish from the edge of the box. There will be relief for Klopp to get a win at the third attempt on his return to coaching, and his side were full value for their victory. Greece were close to making it three wins from three but conceded a late equaliser at home to the Netherlands.
Fotis Ioannidis and Giorgios Masouras scored first-half goals for the home side, before Virgil van Dijk halved the deficit just before the hour-mark. The visitors kept pushing for the goal and it arrived a minute from the end via Tijjani Reijnders. Portugal – playing their first game since Ronaldo walked out on the squad, putting his international future into doubt – were made to work for their 4-2 win in Denmark as they top A4 with a perfect nine points from their three games.
The visitors scored twice in the first half through Joao Cancelo and Goncalo Ramos, but on each occasion the Danes found an equaliser as Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Hojlund netted for the hosts. But Portugal would not be denied. Vitinha grabbed a 67th-minute goal and Joao Felix a late fourth to give Jorge Jesus’ side a six-point lead in the table after what has been a difficult few days.
Dan James and Neco Williams scored for Wales as they beat 10-man Norway 2-1 to earn their first points of the campaign. In League B, the clash between Ireland and Austria in Dublin was stopped briefly when tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch in protest at the Irish side playing Israel in their previous fixture. Play soon resumed and Ireland were held to a 2-2 draw as a pair of goals from Troy Parrott was not enough for the win.
Ireland’s next game is a ‘home’ clash against Israel that will be played behind closed doors in neutral Serbia.
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