“Then tomorrow we have to send 5,000 Serbian children home with the thought: In football you don’t always win,” Jürgen Klopp said.
The Germany national football team defeated Serbia 3–1 on Friday in Belgrade after establishing a commanding first-half lead, DIE WELT reported.
Friday’s victory leaves Germany with a decisive group finale against the Netherlands ahead in the UEFA Nations League.
Serbia, ranked 44th by FIFA, hosted the match before an unusual crowd of 5,000 children allowed into the stadium despite a UEFA ban on home supporters. DIE WELT reported that the visiting side controlled the opening 45 minutes completely, posting 85 percent possession, 517 completed passes to Serbia’s 93, and 12 shots to one before the interval.
Germany translated their early territorial advantage into a 2–0 lead by halftime. The performance dropped in consistency after the break, though Joshua Kimmich had a goal disallowed for offside and Derry Scherhant struck the goalpost.
Brajan Gruda scored the team’s third goal following a solo run. DIE WELT reported that the 22-year-old RB Leipzig player delivered a strong debut characterized by aggressive attacking play, cutting inside, and taking on defenders in one-on-one situations.
“Those are things the national coach wants to see,” DIE WELT noted of Gruda’s performance.
Germany now faces a group final against the Netherlands to determine quarterfinal qualification in the competition. The Dutch side secured a 7–0 victory over Greece on Friday.
The upcoming opponent is harder than Serbia, which they drew 1–1 against in their previous meeting. DIE WELT reported that the developmental squad, featuring numerous young players, requires matches against high-caliber opponents to mature under the new coaching staff.
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