The wait is over for Jurgen Klopp. After two outings that brought little joy, the former Liverpool tactician celebrated a maiden triumph at the helm of the national side, overcoming Serbia in a Nations League fixture staged in Munich.
The road to this moment had been bumpy. A stalemate against the Dutch got things underway, and a defeat at the hands of Greece followed, leaving plenty of questions hanging over the new era. Success therefore arrived on the third attempt, and it carried real relief.
Klopp had summoned a huge group of 44 players for this four match window, and he clearly intended to use it. Once the previous game wrapped up, most of the group rotated out, handing opportunities to fresh faces. The gamble paid off in style.
Florian Wirtz set the tone early by rattling the woodwork, a reminder of the threat he poses. Tom Bischof then stepped forward and unleashed a ferocious strike into the net to put Germany in front. The youngster’s finish was hit with real conviction and settled the nerves.
Wirtz, who plays his club football at Liverpool, soon got the reward his display deserved. A beautifully weighted first touch inside the penalty area bought him precious room, and he made no mistake to double the advantage. He looked sharp, inventive and dangerous from start to finish.
There was also a historic moment off the bench. Celtic midfielder Mika Baur entered the contest as a substitute and etched his name into the record books, becoming the 1,000th footballer to earn a cap for the German men’s national team.
For Klopp, this result will ease the pressure and offer a glimpse of what his reshaped group can deliver. A night of goals, rotation and history in Munich may just be the spark his project needed.
