**Joy for Germany as Ronaldo-less Portugal Win in Denmark**
In a thrilling night of international football, Germany secured their first victory under new head coach Juergen Klopp with a 2-0 win over Serbia in the Nations League on Thursday. Meanwhile, Portugal, despite the absence of star player Cristiano Ronaldo, triumphed 4-2 against Denmark, maintaining their perfect record in Group A4.
Germany's match against Serbia marked a significant turnaround for the team, which had previously suffered a defeat to Greece. Klopp made a bold decision to field an entirely new starting lineup, giving debuts to goalkeeper Jonas Urbig and winger Derry Scherhant. The fresh faces appeared to invigorate the squad, as they dominated the game with a series of attacking plays.
The breakthrough for Germany came in the 39th minute when Florian Wirtz set up Tom Bischof, who scored his first goal for the national team in just his second appearance. Following a missed opportunity by Nick Woltemade, Wirtz doubled the lead with a well-placed shot from the edge of the box shortly after the hour mark. Klopp expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, "We played great against the ball and played wonderful football with the ball. I am really happy. This performance must now be the baseline."
In another notable match, Portugal showcased their resilience against Denmark, overcoming the challenges posed by the absence of Ronaldo, who left the squad amid uncertainty regarding his international future. The Portuguese team took the lead twice in the first half with goals from Joao Cancelo and Goncalo Ramos. However, Denmark responded with equalizers from Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Hojlund, keeping the match competitive.
Determined to secure the win, Portugal regained control in the second half. Vitinha scored in the 67th minute, followed by a late goal from Joao Felix, sealing a 4-2 victory for the visitors. This win places Portugal at the top of Group A4 with a perfect nine points from three matches, demonstrating their strength even in challenging circumstances.
In another match of the night, the Netherlands staged a remarkable comeback against Greece, drawing 2-2 after being two goals down. Fotis Ioannidis and Georgios Masouras put Greece ahead with first-half goals. However, Virgil van Dijk narrowed the deficit just before the hour mark, and Tijjani Reijnders equalized for the Netherlands in the dying moments of the match, ensuring a share of the points.
In League B, Wales earned their first points of the campaign with a 2-1 victory over 10-man Norway, thanks to goals from Dan James and Neco Williams. Meanwhile, in Dublin, a match between Ireland and Austria was briefly halted due to protests against Ireland's previous fixture against Israel, where tennis balls were thrown onto the pitch. Despite the disruption, the match resumed, ending in a 2-2 draw, with Troy Parrott scoring both goals for Ireland.
As the Nations League progresses, teams are looking to build momentum and secure their positions in the standings. Germany's win under Klopp and Portugal's continued success without Ronaldo are sure to be focal points as the tournament unfolds.