The Germany national team enjoyed a decisive victory during their fifth group match of the 2026 UEFA Nations League, taking on Serbia in an away game that ended with a score of 3-1. The goals for Germany came from a self-inflicted error by Srdjan Babic, in addition to strikes from Florian Wirtz and Brajan Gruda, while Babic managed to salvage a goal for Serbia in the second half. Following this win, Germany secured third place in Group B, accumulating eight points from five matches, while Serbia remains at the bottom with zero points.
Match Summary: Germany vs. Serbia
The match commenced at the Rajko Mitic Stadium with Germany showing no signs of trepidation as they applied pressure right from the kickoff. In just the third minute, disaster struck for Serbia when Babic, in attempting to clear a corner, inadvertently directed the ball into his own net, gifting Germany an early lead of 1-0.
This stroke of luck further fueled Germany’s confidence, prompting them to keep attacking the Serbian defense in search of a second goal. Their efforts paid off in the 14th minute when after a shot from Kai Havertz was parried by goalkeeper Milinkovic-Savic, Havertz regained possession and executed a deft chip shot into the goal. This goal was initially reviewed by VAR for a potential offside but was ultimately deemed valid, doubling Germany’s advantage to 2-0.
Faced with a two-goal deficit, Serbia attempted to raise the intensity of their play. Managed by Veljko Paunovic, the Serbian team tried to break free from Germany’s dominance. Despite their efforts, Germany’s control of the game remained steady, with moments of threat leading to numerous saves from Milinkovic-Savic, who faced several dangerous shots as the first half progressed. The first half concluded with the score stuck at 2-0 in favor of Germany.
The Second Half: A Turn of Events
As the second half kicked off, Serbia made notable alterations, substituting Samardzic and Dzodic for Zivkovic and Dragojevic. The tempo of the game was measured as both sides cautiously crafted their attacks. However, in just five minutes into the second half, Germany struck again. Brajan Gruda made a decisive run from the midfield and let loose a powerful shot from outside the box, finding the back of the net and extending Germany’s lead to 3-0.
Serbia would not remain silenced for long; just six minutes later, they reduced the deficit. Following a free-kick scenario where a header from Gudelj was denied by Ter Stegen, the ball fortuitously fell to Babic, who capitalized on the opportunity to score, narrowing the gap to 3-1. This goal sparked hope among Serbian players as they intensified their attacking efforts.
Unfortunately for Serbia, the situation took a turn for the worse in the 76th minute when Vanja Dragojevic was dismissed with a red card for a serious foul on Kimmich, reducing Serbia to ten players. With their ranks depleted, Serbia struggled to maintain pace with the German onslaught. The match reached a boiling point when, towards the end of the game, Serbia found themselves down to nine men after Andrija Zivkovic received a second yellow card and had to exit the pitch. Germany, despite their numerical advantage, found it challenging to exploit the situation, with the final score settling at 3-1.
Both teams took the field in their respective formations: Serbia lined up in a 4-4-2, featuring V. Milinkovic-Savic in goal, with Babic, Milenkovic, Gudelj, and Nedeljkovic in defense. The midfield was comprised of Sukacev, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Dzodic, and Samardzic, while Cvetkovic and Tadic led the attack. On the other side, Germany set out in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Ter Stegen as the goalkeeper, supported by Mittelstadt, Tah, Thiaw, and Treu in defense, and Kimmich alongside Pavlovic in midfield, with Scherhant, Wirtz, and Gruda supporting Havertz in attack.
In summary, the match highlighted Germany’s resilience and tactical superiority while exposing the weaknesses in Serbia’s defense, especially under pressure. With this game now concluded, the teams look ahead to their upcoming fixtures.
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