Germany's 3-1 Win Over Serbia Leaves Group A2 Unsettled

Germany's 3-1 win over Serbia in Belgrade on Friday night did not settle Group A2. It kept Jürgen Klopp's side level on eight points with Greece and behind the Netherlands, who beat Greece 7-0, meaning the final matchday against the Dutch will decide whether Germany reach the Nations League quarter-finals.

Serbia, already bottom with zero points from four games before kick-off, finished with nine men. Vanja Dragojevic, a second-half substitute, had a yellow card upgraded to red after standing on Joshua Kimmich's ankle. Andrija Zivkovic followed for foul and abusive language. The match was played behind closed doors because of racist and discriminatory behaviour by Serbian fans in September, so the only noise came from the benches and the players.

Germany had 79 per cent possession, 22 shots to Serbia's five, and six corners to none. They led through Srdjan Babic's third-minute own goal, Florian Wirtz's finish on 14 minutes, and Brajan Gruda's strike on 50. Babic pulled one back on 56.

The result leaves Germany level with Greece on eight points, behind the Netherlands. Greece's heavy defeat to the Dutch kept Germany in contention, but it also means Klopp's side cannot afford to treat the final matchday as a formality. The Netherlands have control. Germany have a chance. Greece are still alive. Three teams, one round of matches.

Serbia's campaign is a different kind of story.

Germany's win was professional without being convincing. They took their chances, controlled the ball, and avoided the kind of collapse that might have followed Babic's goal. But they did not put the game beyond doubt until Gruda scored, and they allowed Serbia four big chances from almost nothing. Against the Netherlands, that will not be enough. The final matchday will tell us whether this was a step towards the quarter-finals or a warning that Germany's group is still open.