Germany Silence Serbia with Commanding 3–1 Nations League Victory

By Dr. Talal Osman | GCCSPORT

Germany delivered a convincing away performance in Belgrade on Friday, 13 November 2026, defeating Serbia 3–1 in UEFA Nations League League A action. Germany led 2–0 at half-time before Serbia responded in the second half, but the visitors had already established control of the contest. [espn.com], [kickoffscore.com]

Explosive German Start

Germany could hardly have asked for a better opening.

In the third minute, pressure following a corner resulted in Srđan Babić turning the ball into his own net, handing Germany an immediate 1–0 advantage. [espn.com], [sports.yahoo.com]

The early goal dictated the rhythm of the match. Germany played with confidence and intensity, while Serbia were forced to chase the game almost from the beginning.

Just 11 minutes later, Germany struck again.

An attacking sequence ended with Serbia goalkeeper Vanja Milinković-Savić denying an initial effort, but Florian Wirtz reacted quickly to the rebound and finished to make it 2–0 in the 14th minute. [sports.yahoo.com]

Germany subsequently took that two-goal advantage into half-time. [kickoffscore.com]

Gruda Puts Germany in Complete Control

Any Serbian hopes of changing the direction of the match after the break were dealt another major blow almost immediately.

Brajan Gruda scored Germany's third goal in the 50th minute, with match data recording Joshua Kimmich as providing the assist. [dailygoal.tv], [kickoffscore.com]

At 3–0, Germany had established a commanding position.

Gruda's performance was particularly noteworthy. KickoffScore rated him as Germany's highest-rated player at 8.9, ahead of Maximilian Mittelstädt at 8.6. [kickoffscore.com]

Babić Responds for Serbia

For Babić, the evening produced a remarkable personal contrast.

After his own goal had opened the scoring for Germany, the Serbian defender found the net at the other end in the 56th minute, reducing the deficit to 3–1. [espn.com], [dailygoal.tv]

Serbia had finally given themselves something to pursue, but Germany retained their advantage and prevented the hosts from completing a comeback.

The closing stages became increasingly difficult for Serbia. Reports indicate that Vanja Dragojević and Andrija Živković were both dismissed, leaving the home side depleted before the final whistle. [sports.yahoo.com]

Tactical View: Germany Looked in Control

From an analytical perspective, this was more than a three-goal German performance.

Germany's ability to establish control early was decisive. The opening goal gave them the platform, but Wirtz's second ensured Serbia could not simply regroup and wait for an opportunity. Gruda's goal shortly after half-time then effectively put the visitors beyond reach.

The statistical picture also underlines Germany's territorial superiority. KickoffScore recorded 79% possession for Germany compared with 21% for Serbia, while Germany produced 22 shots to Serbia's five. [kickoffscore.com]

Those numbers tell the underlying story: Germany dictated far more of the football.

Serbia deserve credit for responding through Babić rather than surrendering at 3–0, but their late disciplinary problems only made an already difficult situation harder.

Wirtz and Gruda Make the Difference

Wirtz once again demonstrated why he can be such an influential presence between midfield and attack. His anticipation for Germany's second goal reflected the sharpness expected from an elite attacking midfielder.

Gruda, meanwhile, provided one of the night's defining contributions. His 50th-minute goal gave Germany the cushion they needed and completed the visitors' scoring. [espn.com]

Germany ultimately left Belgrade with a 3–1 victory, three goals and a performance built around early pressure, attacking efficiency and sustained territorial control. [espn.com], [kickoffscore.com]