Germany produced a commanding away performance on Friday night to defeat Serbia 3-1 in the UEFA Nations League, keeping their quarter-final hopes firmly intact while condemning the hosts to relegation from League A.

Played behind closed doors in pouring rain, the conditions did nothing to slow down Jürgen Klopp’s side, who seized total control from the opening whistle. Germany were gifted an early breakthrough in the third minute via a Srđan Babić own goal before Florian Wirtz doubled the advantage shortly afterward, pouncing on a rebound to finish cleanly.

After the interval, young forward Brajan Gruda added a third with his first senior international goal for Die Mannschaft. Babić managed to pull one back for Serbia to partially atone for his earlier error, yet any hopes of a late rally evaporated when both Dragojević and Andrija Živković were shown red cards in the closing stages—confirming Serbia's drop from the top tier.

Germany now turn their attention to a decisive showdown against the Netherlands, where a place in the Nations League quarter-finals will be on the line.

UEFA Nations League 2026-27

Serbia - Germany 1-3 (0-2)
Goals: Babić Sr., 3 (own goal) (0-1); Wirtz, 14 (0-2); Gruda, 50 (0-3); Babić Sr., 56 (1-3)

Serbia: Milinkovic-Savic V.; Nedeljkovic; Milenković; Gudelj; Babić Sr.; Samardzic L. (Živković A., 46); Dzodic (Dragojević, 46); Milinković-Savić S. (Kostov V., 86); Sukacev; Cvetkoviс (Mitrovic A., 71); Tadić Du. (Lucic V., 64)
Substitution: Dragojević (from 46 till 76); Živković A. (from 46 till 89); Lucic V. (from 64); Mitrovic A. (from 71); Kostov V. (from 86)
Bench: Petrovic Dj.; Rosic; Bukinac; Simić; Erakovic; Krpic; Jovic
Yellow Cards: Babić Sr. 62; Sukacev 87; Živković A. 89
Red cards: Dragojević 76', Živković A. 89'

Germany: ter Stegen; Tah J.; Treu (Baku R., 73); Mittelstädt; Thiaw; Pavlovic Al. (Bischof T., 74); Kimmich; Havertz (Fuellkrug, 74); Wirtz (Nmecha F., 81); Gruda (El Mala S., 86); Scherhant
Substitution: Baku R. (from 73); Bischof T. (from 74); Fuellkrug (from 74); Nmecha F. (from 81); El Mala S. (from 86)
Bench: Urbig; Nübel; Brown; Schlotterbeck N.; Jeltsch; Karl; Ebnoutalib
Yellow Cards: Gruda 41