Klopp’s first German win highlights five overlooked heroes
Thursday evening delivered a welcome lift for supporters after two lacklustre outings to start Jürgen Klopp’s tenure as German national team head coach. Germany’s 2‑0 Nations League victory over Serbia marked Klopp’s first win in charge and, more importantly, the first display of the aggressive, collective football the new Bundestrainer promised.
Midfield dominance from Wirtz, Bischof and Pavlovic
Florian Wirtz earned man‑of‑the‑match honours, featuring in both goals. He first slipped into space inside the penalty area, nudging the ball against the post for Tom Bischof to tap home the opener. Later, Maximilian Mittelstädt’s central pass found Wirtz, whose first touch sent him beyond the nearest defender before a calm finish secured the second tally.
Wirtz also released Serge Gnabry with an early pass and later missed a close‑range header. After Gnabry’s halftime substitution, the 23‑year‑old captain’s armband passed to Wirtz.
Tom Bischof, back in the senior squad 16 months after his debut, converted sharply after Wirtz’s post‑hit, threatened the Serbian goal from distance before the break and consistently linked Serbia’s midfield with Germany’s defence. Fresh from another successful U21 stint, the agile Bischof made a strong case for regular inclusion.
Aleksandar Pavlovic, operating as the sole holding No 6, accumulated an extraordinary 148 touches. He initiated the opening‑goal sequence with the pass to Wirtz, threatened the Serbian goal on several occasions and organised Germany’s first phase, providing the structure for Bischof’s movement and Wirtz’s invention.
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Defensive and wide‑area contributions
Maximilian Mittelstädt, the surprise starter at left‑back, logged a full 90 minutes despite occasional weak challenges and wayward crosses. He recorded 106 touches, completed 92 percent of 72 passes, created three chances and produced an expected assist of 0.37. His decisive contribution came when he drove forward and supplied the assist for Wirtz’s second goal.
Philipp Treu, the Freiburg right‑back, also featured for the full match. He generated four shooting opportunities worth 0.66 expected assist, completed 94 percent of 68 passes and won 75 percent of his eight duels without committing a foul. His headed lay‑off set Pavlovic up for Germany’s first shot in the eighth minute, and a sharp delivery later found Nick Woltemade in a dangerous position.
Underrated performers in the spotlight
The post‑match discussion naturally centred on Wirtz, Bischof and Pavlovic, yet the five players highlighted here – Mittelstädt, Treu, and the three midfielders – each delivered performances that deserved greater recognition. Their combined work rate, technical execution and tactical discipline underpinned Germany’s first convincing display under Klopp.
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Klopp’s side will now look to build on this foundation, with the highlighted performers offering a blueprint for the aggressive, collective football promised by the German head coach.