Wirtz leads the line but Germany are left empty-handed

Florian Wirtz had the armband, the shots, the possession and the performances, he just didn't have the one thing that matters. Germany were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Greece in Thessaloniki on Sunday, and Liverpool's attacking midfielder wasn't shy about saying so.

"We put a lot of pressure on, but didn't score the damn goal," Wirtz told German outlet RTL after the match. "That's annoying. Overall, we can be satisfied with how we played, there were a lot of good things. We mustn't forget that we've only been together for a week. We really wanted the win, we didn't, but of course, not everything was bad."

It's hard to argue with that assessment. Jurgen Klopp's Germany side racked up 21 shots without converting a single one, which is the kind of evening that tests a captain's composure. Wirtz had been handed the armband by Klopp for the first time, following an impressive showing the previous week, a goal and an assist in the win over Serbia, so the stage was set for a defining night. It didn't quite arrive, but there was enough there to suggest this captaincy is built on solid foundations.

A Liverpool connection on both sides of the stalemate

There was a neat bit of irony in the Greece line-up on Sunday: Kostas Tsimikas started at left-back for the home side, helping to keep Wirtz and Germany at bay. So Liverpool's own men were on opposite sides of the stalemate, which given the club's international pull these days, is hardly surprising.

The result leaves Germany second in Nations League Group 2 with two games still to play, meaning Klopp's side will need to sharpen their finishing if they want to finish the competition on a high. Greece remain second in the group on goal difference, which makes those final fixtures all the more significant.

Van Dijk hits a century as Dutch march on

While Wirtz was dealing with the frustration in Thessaloniki, there was rather more to celebrate elsewhere in the group. Virgil van Dijk earned his 100th cap for the Netherlands, and he marked the occasion by captaining his side to a 2-1 win over Serbia, a result that lifts the Dutch above Greece on goal difference. A hundred caps is a serious achievement for any player, and van Dijk reached it in the best possible fashion.

Ryan Gravenberch also started for the Netherlands, whilst Jeremie Frimpong came on as an unused substitute in a result that keeps the Dutch firmly in the hunt at the top of the group.

Koumas and Wales left with nothing from Denmark defeat

It was a tougher evening for Lewis Koumas, who made a second successive start for Wales but couldn't help his side avoid a 1-0 home defeat to Denmark in Group 4. Craig Bellamy's Wales have now lost three of their four matches in the competition this season, which makes for difficult reading for a squad still searching for consistency at this level. There's work to do before those final group fixtures arrive.

For Liverpool supporters, the international break delivered both milestone moments and near-misses, and with club football around the corner, the hope is those near-misses stay firmly on international duty.