Jurgen Klopp’s first home match as Germany manager ended in a 1-0 defeat to Greece in Augsburg.
Dimitrios Kourbelis struck in the 74th minute as Greece secured their first win over Germany, spoiling Jurgen Klopp’s home debut in Augsburg.
Jurgen Klopp suffered his first defeat as Germany manager on Sunday, with a deflected Dimitrios Kourbelis strike giving Greece a 1-0 victory in Augsburg.
The result marked Greece’s first win over Germany and left Klopp without a victory after his opening two matches. His tenure began with a 1-1 draw away to the Netherlands on Thursday.
Germany controlled possession but struggled to turn that advantage into sustained attacking pressure. In Klopp’s first home match, the hosts lacked the energy shown against the Dutch and were eventually punished by a Greek side that became increasingly threatening on the counterattack.
Kourbelis delivers historic breakthrough
The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Kourbelis hit a low effort that deflected off Germany captain Joshua Kimmich and rolled into the bottom-left corner.
Greece had already passed up a clear opportunity to go ahead. Fotis Ioannidis found himself with only goalkeeper Alexander Nuebel to beat but sent his attempt wide.
The visitors made their next breakthrough count, then protected their narrow advantage to secure a landmark result. Before Sunday, Greece’s meetings with Germany had produced seven defeats and three draws in a sequence stretching back to 1960.
For Germany, the outcome exposed the gap between holding the ball and creating enough danger to break down an organised defence.
Conte offers promise amid changes
Klopp made five changes to his starting line-up as he continued assessing the players available to him. Several regulars were absent, while Hoffenheim forward Bambase Conte was handed a start despite having played only four top-flight matches.
Conte made an encouraging early impression, shooting narrowly wide after two minutes. Barcelona forward Karim Adeyemi later had Germany’s strongest opportunity of the first half, accelerating beyond the Greek defence on a counterattack before firing over the crossbar.
After the interval, Conte again threatened, drawing a low fingertip save from Greece goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. Those moments, however, did not develop into the consistent pressure Germany needed.
The changes reflected Klopp’s broader approach to his opening assignments. He selected 16 uncapped players in a 44-man squad and made clear that he intended to use the matches to examine his options.
Klopp focuses on lessons from defeat
Speaking to ARD after the match, Klopp said the defeat did not trouble him personally, pointing to the many losses he had experienced during his career. His priority, he explained, was drawing useful conclusions, with defeats and victories both providing information for the team’s development.
He also stressed that Germany needed challenging matches of this kind. Kimmich, meanwhile, said the coach had clearly communicated his expectations and that responsibility now rested with the players to carry them out.
Centre-back Jonathan Tah emphasised the importance of remaining united. He cautioned that excitement around a new manager could heighten outside expectations, while insisting that performances on the pitch remained the real measure of progress.
The 59-year-old Klopp took charge in July after Germany exited the World Cup in North America at the last-32 stage. That was the four-time champions’ third successive early departure from the tournament.
Sunday’s setback underlined the rebuilding challenge facing the former Liverpool coach, even as he continues testing new players and combinations.
