Greece took a valuable 1-0 win over Germany at WWK ARENA in Augsburg in UEFA Nations League League A, Group 2. Dimitris Kourbelis scored the decisive goal in the 74th minute after a neat move involving Vangelis Pavlidis and Christos Tzolis. Germany controlled most phases but ran into a wall of blue shirts and a goalkeeper in top form. For full match data, lineups and player metrics, see the match centre on Sofascore, and follow the wider competition on the UEFA Nations League page.

It was a classic case of control versus resilience. Germany’s passing rhythm was there; Greece’s defending and goalkeeping had the final say.

Control without reward for Germany

Germany owned the ball with 76% possession and completed 661 accurate passes to Greece’s 164. They built steady pressure with 85 final-third entries and 30 touches in the penalty area. The shot volume also leaned their way at 15 attempts to 8, and shots on target finished 5-1. Expected goals suggested they created enough for a goal (1.21 xG to 0.77), while expected goals on target was even clearer at 1.45 to 0.68. Corners read 8-2, another sign of territorial dominance. It was, in short, a lot of control but not enough incision.

Joshua Kimmich drove the home side with 152 touches and 118 accurate passes from 128, plus three key passes and two successful tackles. Karim Adeyemi offered thrust with four key passes and three shots, posting 0.32 xG and 0.15 xA before coming off on 75 minutes. At the back, Yann Bisseck’s 7.2 Sofascore Rating came with seven recoveries and seven clearances, while Jonathan Tah completed 130 of 140 passes. Yet the final action kept falling the wrong side of the post or into safe Greek hands. Football can be tidy for 90 minutes and still hinge on one clinical moment.

Greece’s defensive clinic

Greece set up to absorb and strike. They won more total tackles (22-14) and posted a higher tackle success rate (73% to 64%). Clearances told the story too: 33 for Greece against 18 for Germany. They also edged the ground duels 56% to 44%, disrupting Germany’s combinations just as moves approached the dangerous area. Kostas Tsimikas added bite with four tackles and a key pass, while the back line squeezed crosses to just 17% accuracy for Germany. On the ball, Greece were pragmatic, hitting 22 of 46 long balls to push play upfield and relieve pressure.

Konstantinos Mavropanos anchored it with an outstanding 9.2 Sofascore Rating, producing 13 clearances, three successful tackles and even a last-man intervention. Panagiotis Retsos chipped in with 10 clearances and a 1/1 tackle count. The wide players tracked diligently, and midfielders stepped into passing lanes for eight team interceptions. Discipline mattered, too: four yellows arrived, but Greece still managed game flow and the transitions they needed. When the chance came, they were ready.

Key moments and adjustments

Germany’s best first-half window featured a string of entries and a big chance that went begging. Younes Ebnoutalib recorded that big chance missed, part of a 7-shot first half where only one tested the goalkeeper. Greece turned to adjustments at the break, introducing Manolis Saliakas at right-back. The key change arrived on 59 minutes when Dimitris Kourbelis and Fotis Ioannidis came on, freshening midfield legs and adding presence up front.

The game’s decisive move came at 74 minutes. Pavlidis received in advanced space and worked the ball to Tzolis, who shifted the angle and found Kourbelis free on the left channel. Kourbelis struck a left-footed effort low to the far corner past Alexander Nübel, a high-quality finish measured at 0.68 xGOT. Germany chased with more territory and crosses, but Greece’s penalty box remained crowded and decisive. Ioannidis and Ebnoutalib each had a big chance missed at opposite ends across the night, matching the 1-1 big chances tally. Substitutions from Germany brought Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Burkardt, Serge Gnabry, Hennes Behrens and Anton Stach, but none managed the final touch.

MVP: Konstantinos Tzolakis’ night

Konstantinos Tzolakis earned the match MVP on Sofascore with a superb 9.3 Sofascore Rating, and it was hard to argue. He made five saves, two of them described as big saves, and claimed two high balls under pressure. The model credited him with 1.45 goals prevented, the single most telling number of the night. His distribution relieved pressure too, completing 16 of 32 long balls and 21 total passes. Ten ball recoveries rounded out a performance that mixed reflexes with command of the box.

In a game where Germany produced 5 shots on target and 1.45 expected goals on target, the goalkeeper had to be close to perfect. He pretty much was. By contrast, Alexander Nübel finished with no saves and a negative goals prevented figure (−0.32), underlining how much the goalkeeping battle shaped the scoreline. Mavropanos deserves an honorable nod at 9.2 for a towering defensive display in front of him. On the other side, Kimmich led Germany in almost every possession metric and posted a 7.9, the best home Sofascore Rating. But this story belonged to the man in orange gloves.