Germany wins first ticket to Euro 2024 round of 16

In the opening match on June 14, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer did not have to make a single save as Scotland had only one shot on target, and only conceded an own goal from teammate Antonio Rudiger. But against Hungary today, the 38-year-old goalkeeper had to work hard from the very first seconds, when fans had not yet settled in the stands at Stuttgart Arena.

After kick-off, captain Ilkay Gundogan misplaced his pass in midfield, allowing Hungary to counterattack and get the ball into Germany's penalty area. Taking advantage of Joshua Kimmich's hesitation, Barnabas Varga rushed in to get the ball but could not beat Neuer. This happened just 13 seconds in, and if he had succeeded, Varga would have scored the earliest goal in Euro history. Seven minutes later, captain Dominik Szoboszlai crossed from the left wing to Bendeguz Bolla on the opposite side. The Hungarian player rushed in to play one touch, but the ball deflected off Robert Andrich and went out of bounds.

It was not until the 10th minute that the German "Tank" warmed up and gradually created great pressure. The first notable situation was when Kai Havertz shielded the ball from Willi Orban and then shot diagonally, hitting goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi's hand. A minute later, it was Andrich's turn to volley close to the goal, but Bendeguz Bolla blocked it with his head.

In the 22nd minute, the German fans had their chance to explode. Orban fell in the penalty area while fighting with Gundogan, causing the Hungarian players to pause. The referee did not blow the whistle, and Gundogan quickly passed the ball out for Jamal Musiala to shoot into an empty net to open the scoring. The Hungarian players protested, but VAR intervened, determined that Gundogan had not committed a foul and awarded the goal to Germany.

Willi Orban - who was at fault in this situation - used to play for Germany U21, before choosing to play for Hungary since October 2018. Meanwhile, Musiala only needed two shots to score two goals, and rose to the top of the Euro 2024 Golden Boot list.

In the remaining minutes of the first half, the home audience experienced heart-stopping situations. In the 26th minute, from a free kick on the left, Szobozlai shot skillfully into the top corner, forcing Neuer to dive to clear the danger. In the extra time, also from Szobozslai's free kick, Roland Sallai headed the ball into the German net, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside.

Hungary paid the price for wasting their chances. In the 67th minute, Germany took control from a flank attack. The ball was passed through Toni Kroos, Musiala and to Maximilian Mittelstadt on the left wing. The Stuttgart defender crossed for Gundogan to connect with the far corner to double the lead.

The two-goal deficit left Hungary feeling drained mentally and physically. Germany held on, becoming only the second team to score seven goals in their opening two games, after the Netherlands at Euro 2008. They also set a new scoring record in the group stage, surpassing the six-goal mark in three games in 2020. The last time Germany scored that many goals in the group stage of a major tournament was when they won the 2014 World Cup.

The victory over Hungary also helped Julian Nagelsmann and his team secure an early ticket to the round of 16, and they can calculate their forces in the final match against Switzerland on June 23. This is the fifth time Germany has won both first matches of the Euro, after the 1972, 1980, 1996 and 2012 tournaments. Of these, they won the championship in 1972, 1980, 1996, and only missed out on the title in 2012.

Highlight of Germany 2-0 Hungary: Candidate's affirmation

Line-up

Germany: Neuer, Kimmich, Rudiger, Tah, Mittelstadt, Andrich (Can 72), Kroos, Musiala (Fuhrich 72), Gundogan (Undav 84), Wirtz (Sane 58), Havertz (Fullkrug 58).

Hungary: Gulacsi, Fiola, Orban, Dardai, Bolla (Adam 75), Adam Nagy (Kleinheisler 64), Schafer, Kerkez (Nagy 75), Sallai (Csoboth 88), Szoboszlai, Varga (Gazdag 88).

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