• Wednesday, 25 December 2024

Dramatic Füllkrug's late goal secures hosts Germany Group A win

Dramatic Füllkrug's late goal secures hosts Germany Group A win

Frankfurt/Stuttgart, 24 June 2024 (dpa/MIA) - Germany striker Niclas Füllkrug scored a dramatic goal in stoppage-time to seal a 1-1 draw with Switzerland and secure the Euro 2024 hosts the Group A win on Sunday.

In the other group game, Kevin Csoboth also scored a very late goal for Hungary in a 1-0 win against Scotland. The Hungarian team will now wait to see if they will finish as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Dan Ndoye scored Switzerland's opener in the 28th minute after a superb cross from Remo Freuler.

Germany had plenty of chances to equalize, but took their time to find the target and only avoided their first defeat at the home tournament when substitute Füllkrug headed the ball into the net in the second minute of stoppage time.

"Whether you finish first or second in the group can be decisive. In hindsight, that will definitely have been a crucial game," the Germany goalscorer said.

Germany were already qualified to the last 16 and the result was enough to secure the group win.

"We are happy that we made it. We've shown once again that we can deal with a setback, that we believe in ourselves until the end. That helps the team," midfielder Toni Kroos said.

They will now face the Group C runners-up in Dortmund, while Switzerland will travel to Berlin to face the second-placed from Group B - with holders Italy a strong candidate to be their opponent.

Germany will be without defender Jonathan Tah after he received a yellow card and will be suspended for the game.

Switzerland surprise by scoring opener

Germany first good chance was a goal ruled out in the 17th minute. Maximilian Mittelstädt's cross to the area was cleared by Michel Aebischer, who was fouled by Jamal Musiala. The play went on and the ball returned to Germany, with Robert Andrich scoring from distance.

But the goal was ruled out after VAR check due to the foul on Aebischer.

The Germans still had control of the game, but were stunned when Switzerland found the breakthrough in the 28th after Germany lost the ball in their own half before Freuler made a superb low cross and Ndoye stretched his leg to finish it into the roof of the net.

Ndoye almost got the second just three minutes later, after a long through pass, but his effort went out.

Germany miss too many chances, but are rescued by Füllkrug

The Germans tried their best to find the leveller and started the second half with fierce strike from Musiala, but he was denied by keeper Yann Sommer in the 50th.

In the 70th, Joshua Kimmich failed to complete a huge chance from close range as he was denied by a brilliant last gasp block from Manuel Akanji.

In the final 10 minutes of the game, Toni Kroos and Kai Havertz had big opportunities to find the net, while Switzerland scored a second, but that was ruled out for offside.

Manuel Neuer made a stunning save to deny Granit Xhaka in the 89th before Füllkrug rose the highest to nod an unstoppable effort into the far corner of the net after a delivery from fellow substitute David Raum.

"We know that I'm good with headers, but the cross was also perfect. A lot of things just fell into place, which makes me really happy. We knew we were through, but we really wanted to finish first in the group," Füllkrug said.

Manuel Neuer became the goalkeeper with the most Euros appearances with 18, overtaking former Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Switzerland will be glad to take the point, which secured them in the next round, but midfielder Granit Xhaka admitted the draw was a bitter result.

"When you concede a goal just before the end, it hurts more. We put in a very, very good performance, especially defensively," he said.

"When you're in the round of 16, you can't wish for too much. We're looking forward to every opponent."

Scottish hearts broken by late Hungary goal

The dramatic late defeat means that Scotland failed again to advance to the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.

Hungary had the best chance of the game in the 41st, when Dominik Szoboszlai's free-kick into the box found Willi Orbán, whose header hits the crossbar, before scoring their late winner.

From a Scotland corner, Hungary broke up the pitch to find the net - in the 10th minute of added time.

"We knew we had to win this game, and they've hit us on the counter-attack. It could have gone either way, but that's football - that's how it goes. It will take a long time to get over this one," Scotland captain Andy Robertson said.

Man of the Match Roland Sallai said that the late win was "a fantastic feeling."

"It was incredible. Scoring so late, in the 100th minute, is a fantastic feeling, not only for me but for the whole team, for the staff, the fans included. But we are very happy that it unfolded like that and we are hopeful in terms of the other games, that they are favourable for us."

Photo: EPA