Jürgen Klopp’s managerial debut for Germany ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on matchday one of the UEFA Nations League group stage, after Cody Gakpo struck a late equalizer in stoppage time. In a night defined by tactical restarts and high-stakes regional showdowns across Europe, Norway claimed a thrilling 3-2 victory over Denmark in the Nordic derby, while Portugal opened their title defense with a narrow win.
Klopp and Xavi Trade Early Blows in Amsterdam
The fixture in Group A2 brought together two heavyweights looking to reset after disappointing exits at the World Cup. For Germany, the match marked the official technical bow of Jürgen Klopp, who returned to the dugout following a two-year hiatus after leaving Liverpool. Facing him were the Netherlands, led by debutant manager Xavi Hernández.
Xavi immediately sought to shake up the Dutch setup by omitting all-time top scorer Memphis Depay from his squad. Despite the bold omission, the Oranje started brightly. Brian Brobbey, buoyed by a weekend hat-trick for Sunderland, appealed fruitlessly for an early penalty before Virgil van Dijk powered a 12th-minute header past goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen following a corner. However, the video assistant referee intervened, ruling out the opener for a foul on Ter Stegen, who has stepped into Germany’s number-one shirt following Manuel Neuer’s international retirement.
Germany seized the lead against the run of play in the 32nd minute through Felix Nmecha. The goal sparked protests from the hosts, who argued play should have been halted while Brobbey lay injured on the turf. After the interval, the Netherlands squandered a succession of clear chances as Ter Stegen stood firm. Yet, deep into stoppage time in the 90th minute plus two, Gakpo breached the German resistance. The Liverpool forward, well-known to Klopp from their shared time at Anfield, steered home to salvage a point for Xavi’s side.
Haaland Inspires Norway Past Denmark in Nordic Derby
In Group A4, Norway engineered a landmark result against neighboring Denmark, securing a 3-2 win in Oslo to beat their rivals for the first time in 26 years and six matches. The Norwegians, who famously eliminated Brazil at the World Cup, stormed out of the blocks. Oscar Bobb opened the scoring in the 18th minute, and Erling Haaland added a second just four minutes later.
Denmark refused to fold. Mikkel Damsgaard trimmed the deficit with a direct free-kick in the 25th minute, and Rasmus Højlund drew the visitors level on the hour mark. But Haaland had the final say, restoring Norway’s lead in the 74th minute with his 64th international goal in just 56 appearances. The victory keeps Norway pacing at the top of the group, though they finished the match with ten men following a late red card shown to David Wolfe in the 90th minute plus three.
Elsewhere in Group A4, Portugal began the defense of their Nations League crown with a 1-0 win over Wales in Lisbon. The reigning champions are now under the guidance of 72-year-old manager Jorge Jesus, who arrived from Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. That familiarity meant an automatic selection for 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, though the veteran forward missed a gilt-edged chance when clean through on goal, striking his shin before firing wide, and later had a goal chalked off for offside. Instead, it was Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr club teammate João Félix who netted the decisive goal in the 22nd minute. Portugal will now travel to Oslo to face Norway on Monday with group leadership on the line.
Greece Mounts Late Comeback in Belgrade
In other Group A action, Serbia hosted Greece in Belgrade after securing their top-tier status via the promotion playoffs. Andrija Živković rewarded the hosts with a fourth-minute opener, set up by 37-year-old captain Dušan Tadić, who returned to international football following a two-year absence.
Greece responded aggressively. Vangelis Pavlidis struck the post shortly after the opener, and Benfica forward Pavlidis—who boasts 14 league goals this term—orchestrated the equalizer by setting up Christos Tzolis fifteen minutes from time. Duvikas then completed the turnaround in the 90th minute plus five, sealing a 2-1 victory for the visitors.
Wins for Kosovo and Austria
In Group B3, Kosovo edged past Ireland 1-0 in Pristina courtesy of an 83rd-minute strike from Vedat Muriqi. The forward carried his club momentum directly into international duty, having scored four goals for Fenerbahçe over the weekend. The hosts managed the fixture without Napoli star Amir Rrahmani, who withdrew from the national team following a dispute with federation leadership.
Meanwhile, Austria collected a 3-1 home victory over Israel in Linz. Romano Schmid opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute. Israel leveled through Osama Abu Farchi in the 55th minute, but the goalscorer’s wild celebration—tearing up a corner flag and brandishing it—earned him a second yellow card and an immediate dismissal. Austria capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Philipp Mwene and Sasa Kalajdzic scoring late goals in the 90th minute and stoppage time respectively.
What Comes Next
The opening window of the UEFA Nations League group stage concludes with high-stakes fixtures early next week, highlighted by Portugal’s trip to face group rivals Norway in Oslo on Monday.
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