Germany Frustrated by Greece as VAR Denies Burkardt in Nations League Draw
Germany were held to a goalless Nations League draw by Greece at Toumba Stadium despite controlling possession, territory and the shot count throughout the evening. Jürgen Klopp’s side had a Jonathan Burkardt goal ruled out after a VAR intervention and could not find the finish required to turn their dominance into a second successive win.
Match at a glance
| Item | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Result | Greece 0-0 Germany | Nations League, Group A2 |
| Possession | Germany 70.1% | Visitors dictated the match |
| Attempts | Germany 21, Greece 5 | Germany created the greater volume |
| Key incident | 32nd minute | Burkardt goal overturned for a Tom Bischof handball |
Germany took charge from the opening whistle, keeping the ball for long spells and pushing Greece back around their own penalty area. Yet Konstantinos Tzolakis provided the resistance his side needed, making four important saves as the German attack repeatedly failed to make its pressure count.
The visitors believed they had taken the lead in the 32nd minute when Burkardt found the net. Referee Clément Turpin subsequently stopped play for a video review, which identified a handball by Tom Bischof during the move. The goal was cancelled and the teams went into half-time level.
Klopp had selected an attack-minded side after Germany’s 2-0 win over Serbia, but Greece defended deeply and held firm through the second half. Germany continued to dominate the ball and amassed 21 attempts, although the home side were able to limit the number of occasions on which Tzolakis was seriously tested.
The draw means Klopp has won one of his first four matches in charge since the Nations League campaign began. His tenure started with a draw against the Netherlands, followed by a surprise loss to Greece, before the victory over Serbia and this return meeting in Thessaloniki.
Greece remain second in Group A2 with eight points, behind the Netherlands only on goal difference. Germany are third on five points, while Serbia are bottom without a point. Both Germany and Greece will play the Netherlands and Serbia during the next international window, with those fixtures set to decide the places in the Nations League knockout stage.
