Greece produced one of the biggest surprises of the Nations League campaign with a disciplined 1-0 victory over Germany at the WWK Arena, sending the travelling supporters into wild celebrations.
Dimitrios Kourbelis delivered the decisive moment in the 74th minute, calmly finishing across the goalkeeper after a rapid counter-attack that perfectly reflected Ivan Jovanovic’s tactical approach.
The move began with Konstantinos Mavropanos winning a crucial header deep inside Greece’s half. Christos Tzolis then carried the ball forward before finding Kourbelis arriving from the right, with the midfielder applying a composed first-time finish to put Greece ahead.
Mavropanos was the standout performer, earning an 8.5 rating after an outstanding defensive display. The West Ham defender dominated aerial situations and repeatedly disrupted Germany’s attacking moves, particularly when dealing with Florian Wirtz and Michael Olise.
Germany struggled to turn their overwhelming possession into clear opportunities. Jürgen Klopp’s side controlled 76% of the ball and completed 717 passes, but managed only six shots and one effort on target.
Greece, meanwhile, remained compact and dangerous on the counter despite having just 24% possession. Their defensive organisation frustrated Germany throughout the contest and ultimately allowed them to protect their narrow advantage.
Konstantinos Tzolakis also impressed for Greece, receiving an 8.5 rating, while Germany’s Yann Bisseck and Joshua Kimmich were among their better performers despite the disappointing result.
The defeat represents a difficult start to Klopp’s Germany tenure following their dramatic stoppage-time equaliser with Netherlands, leaving his side facing increased pressure ahead of the next Nations League fixtures.
PLAYER RATINGS
Germany Player Ratings vs Greece
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Alexander Nübel | 6.0 |
| Josha Vagnoman | 6.8 |
| Jonathan Tah | 7.0 |
| Yann Bisseck | 7.9 |
| Nathaniel Brown | 7.3 |
| Felix Nmecha | 7.2 |
| Joshua Kimmich | 7.8 |
| Karim Adeyemi | 7.0 |
| Bambasé Conté | 5.6 |
| Kevin Schade | 6.7 |
| Younes Ebnoutalib | 6.4 |
Greece Player Ratings vs Germany
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Konstantinos Tzolakis | 8.5 |
| Georgios Vagiannidis | 6.5 |
| Panagiotis Retsos | 7.1 |
| Konstantinos Mavropanos | 8.5 |
| Kostas Tsimikas | 7.5 |
| Konstantinos Karetsas | 6.9 |
| Christos Zafeiris | 6.4 |
| Thanasis Androutsos | 7.4 |
| Christos Tzolis | 6.7 |
| Andrews Tetteh | 6.7 |
| Vangelis Pavlidis | 7.0 |
Team Stats
| Stat | Germany | Greece |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 14 | 6 |
| Shots on target | 5 | 1 |
| Possession | 76% | 24% |
| Passes | 717 | 227 |
| Pass accuracy | 92% | 75% |
| Fouls | 12 | 11 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 4 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 1 | 1 |
| Corners | 8 | 2 |
