Hosts blow away 10-man Tartan Army in Euro 2024 opener
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Hosts blow away 10-man Tartan Army in Euro 2024 opener

ByNews Polite

Scotland were soundly beaten by Germany in the first game of Euro 2024 as the hosts claimed a dominant 5-1 win at the Allianz Arena.

Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz were all on target for the brilliant Germans during a first half which saw Scotland reduced to 10 men after Ryan Porteous was sent off.

Substitutes Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can got in on the act in the second half either side of an own goal by Antonio Rudiger, which gave Scotland something to cheer about on what was a poor start to their European Championship campaign.

Hosts run riot in tournament opener

You could have been forgiven for not knowing which side were the hosts before kick-off, with the Allianz Arena packed with Scottish fans generating a fantastic atsmosphere.

But less than 10 minutes in, Germany fans were the only ones singing as Wirtz got Die Mannschaft’s Euro 2024 off to the perfect start.

Joshua Kimmich drove forward on the right before laying into Wirtz’s path and the Bundesliga winner’s finish found the bottom left corner despite Angus Gunn getting a hand to it.

Scotland were 2-0 down minutes later Ilkay Gundogan found Havertz inside the box before teeing up Musiala. The Bayern Munich starlet jinked inside before firing a finish into the roof of the net.

As if it couldn’t get any worse for Steve Clarke’s men, the Germans were 3-0 and a man up just before half-time.

Havertz converted from the penalty spot after a hefty last-ditch challenge by Portueous on Ilkay Gundogan was adjudged to be a serious foul after a VAR check.

There was unsurprisingly a feeling of damage limitation after the break for Scotland, who battled to restrict the hosts to few chances early on in the second half.

Germany’s superiority quickly became clear though, with Wirtz unable to keep a shot down to make it four before a last-ditch Callum McGregor block prevented Gundogan from finding the net from close range.

Havertz and Wirtz were withdrawn on the hour mark but in their place came Fullkrug and Leroy Sane.

Bayrn Munich winger Sane immediately stretched the Scottish defence on the break but he could only muster a soft finish which Gunn easily saved.

But his fellow substitute did find the net moments later, with the Borussia Dortmund picking up a loose ball in the box before cutting in and smashing a fantastic finish into the top corner.

The Champions League finalist thought he had a second shortly later after bundling it past Gunn but the Scottish were spared after an offisde.

And they were finally given the reward their support deserved late on as Scott McKenna’s header deflected off Rudiger for an own goal.

But their joy was short-lived as Can, a late call up to Germany’s squad, found the corner from the edge of the box to cap off a brilliant performance by the hosts.

What’s next?

Clarke described the opener as a “side-act” before kick-off with the bigger games in the group to come, but he will face a task instilling confidence into a side who were well beaten.

Germany will feel they are in an excellent position to top the group now and will undoubtedly be one of the favourites to go all the way on home soil.

Both are next in action on Wednesday as Germany take on Hungary before Scotland face Switzerland.



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