Belgrade expected Dusan Tadic’s return to bring a routine home win, but Greece turned the evening at the “Little Maracana” into an early statement of Nations League intent. Serbia led from the fourth minute and still held their advantage at half-time, yet a Greek side rich in emerging talent kept pushing until Christos Tzolis levelled late on and Tasos Douvikas struck in the 95th minute for a memorable 2-1 away victory.
Key takeaways
- Tadic marked his first Serbia appearance in two years by creating Andrija Zivkovic’s early opener.
- Greece had threatened well before the interval, with Tzolis hitting the post and testing Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
- Tzolis made it 1-1 in the 74th minute before setting up Douvikas for the decisive goal.
- Douvikas, now finding his best form under Cesc Fabregas at Como, delivered the winner deep into stoppage time.
- The result puts Greece top of a group also containing Germany and the Netherlands.
Greek pressure overturns Serbia’s fast start
The hosts had made the perfect beginning. Tadic, restored to the national side after a two-year absence, needed only four minutes to influence the contest. The veteran playmaker looked up after receiving possession and picked out Zivkovic, who beat Greece goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis with a close-range finish from inside the penalty area.
It was a lead that appeared to place Serbia in command, especially with the match being played in Belgrade. Instead, Greece steadily made the game theirs. Tzolis came close to an immediate reply when his effort struck the post, then forced Milinkovic-Savic into serious work with a shot from the edge of the box before the break.
Serbia went into the dressing room 1-0 ahead, but the scoreline did not reflect Greece’s increasing authority. Veljko Paunovic’s team never established sustained control and gradually retreated towards their own goal as the visitors maintained their pressure.
Douvikas supplies a Belgrade finale
The equaliser finally arrived in the 74th minute, when Tzolis drove an emphatic right-footed shot beyond Milinkovic-Savic. Serbia had lost the initiative and, rather than recovering it, spent the closing stages trying to protect a point.
That plan failed in the fifth minute of added time. Tzolis again supplied the crucial intervention, creating the opportunity for Douvikas to silence the stadium with the winning finish. The former Celta forward, whose spell in Spain brought little impact, has revived his form at Como under Cesc Fabregas and carried that confidence onto the international stage.
The home ground did not produce its usual intimidating atmosphere as Greece completed the turnaround. For the visitors, the three points represent more than a dramatic night in Serbia: they open the Nations League group at the summit ahead of Germany and the Netherlands. There are five rounds still to play, but Greece have already offered a compelling case to be regarded among the competition’s potential surprises.
