Played in heavy rain at the Rajko Mitic Stadium, the match took place in front of a sparse crowd of 5,000 schoolchildren and a small contingent of travelling supporters due to a UEFA ban on Serbian fans. Despite the unusual atmosphere, the visitors dominated the proceedings, forcing an early breakthrough before adding two further goals to seal the points.
Dominant Display and Late Drama
The visitors took the lead just two minutes into the contest when a Kai Havertz header from a corner deflected off Srdan Babic and into the net. Germany doubled their advantage in the 14th minute; after Havertz saw an initial effort saved by the Serbian goalkeeper, Florian Wirtz was on hand to convert the rebound. The lead was extended shortly after the interval when debutant
Serbia managed a consolation goal just before the hour mark through Babic, who tapped in after Marc-Andre ter Stegen parried a Nemanja Gudelj strike. However, the hosts' evening deteriorated late on as discipline faltered. Substitute Vanja Dragojevic was shown a straight red card following a VAR review for a heavy challenge on Joshua Kimmich, and Andrija Zivkovic was later dismissed for dissent, leaving Serbia to finish the match with only nine players.
Klopp Eyes Berlin Showdown
Reflecting on the performance, Jurgen Klopp expressed satisfaction with his team's intensity and tactical execution, particularly their counter-pressing. The German coach noted that the squad is beginning to find its rhythm under his leadership, highlighting the depth of options available ahead of the upcoming fixture against the Dutch. With the Netherlands having secured a 7-0 win over Greece, Germany likely requires a victory in Berlin to progress in the competition.
For Serbia, the defeat marks a fifth consecutive loss in the tournament, confirming their position at the bottom of the group. While the hosts struggled to contain the German attack, Klopp acknowledged the difficulty of the conditions and the nature of the fixture, praising his side for maintaining their focus throughout the 90 minutes.
