By Klaus Bergmann and Arne Richter, dpa
MUNICH – Hosts Germany turned on the style in a 5-1 demolition of 10-man Scotland on Friday for a dream start to Euro 2024 which should spark the desired frenzy in the whole country.
Florian Wirtz opened the scoring in the 10th minute, fellow youngster Jamal Musiala made it 2-0 in the 19th, Kai Havertz converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time, and substitutes Niclas Füllkrug and Emre Can wrapped up matters in the 68th and stoppage time, respectively.
Scotland defender Ryan Porteous was sent off for a reckless challenge on Germany captain Ilkay Gündogan in the incident that led to the penalty and ended the game as a contest, although they got a late consolation from an Antonio Rüdiger own goal.
Germany end opening game rot
The big victory ended a run of defeats in Germany’s first games at the previous three big events which led to group stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and a last-16 elimination at the last Euros in 2021.
Julian Nagelsmann and the team will now have the nation behind them for the other group games against Hungary and Switzerland, and beyond, similar to the 2006 home World Cup where Germany reached the semi-finals in what is remembered as the “summer fairytale.”
Steve Clarke’s Scotland famously beat Spain at home in qualifying but have only one win from their last 10 games and face a uphill battle to get out of the group stage for the first time in their fourth Euros after a harmless display.
‘Outstanding start’
“The first 20 minutes were impressive. We had two great goals. It was very, very good all around,” coach Julian Nagelsmannn told broadcaster ZDF. “The lads know it was a first step, which we needed.”
Füllkrug said: “It is an outstanding start as we want to create a[nother] summer fairtale,” Füllkrug said.
Gündogan added that “we wanted to start in this way and needed it. We need the support of the fans” he said as huge crowds celebrated in the fan zones and in the streets in many parts of the country.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson told ITV: “You’re playing against the host nation in the first game and it doesn’t get much tougher than that. There were a lot of things wrong and we have to sort that out because it’s a quick turnaround.”
The match came after a short opening ceremony which also paid tribute to late German icon Franz Beckenbauer, whose widow Heidi carried the trophy to be awarded after the July 14 final into the Munich stadium, and then blew a kiss into the evening sky.
Beckenbauer, who captained Germany to their first Euro title in 1972, would have been proud of the class of 2024 which rebounded in style from modest showings in the final tune-up matches against Ukraine (0-0) and Greece (2-1).
Rampant hosts strike early
Germany started full of purpose with Wirtz from domestic double winners Bayer Leverkusen denied by goalkeeper Angus Gunn inside the opening minute.
Wirtz may have been offside but there was no doubt when he found the net in the 10th minute.
Playmaker Toni Kroos, who will end his trophy-laden career after the tournament, fed Joshua Kimmich with a long ball to the right, and the ball came to Wirtz who fired a low drive from the edge of the area which Gunn only managed to push against the left post from where it went in.
Nine minutes later Gündogan split the defence to Havertz, who laid the ball back to Musiala who moved past a defender and smashed into the roof of the net of his Bayern Munich home stadium.
Germany thought they had a penalty when Musiala went down in a duel with Ryan Christie and Kieran Tierney but a review showed that Musiala was fouled just outside the area, and a free-kick was awarded which Gunn saved from Havertz.
Red card and penalty decide match for good
But there was no doubt about the penalty – and the red card – when Gündogan’s header was denied by Gunn but Porteous then crashed into the Barcelona midfielder’s ankle on the rebound.
The one-way traffic continued in the second half. Wirtz fired over in the 58th before Füllkrug then smashed the fourth into the top right corner 10 minutes later, shortly after coming on for Havertz.
Füllkrug had a another goal nullified for offside while a freak goal put Scotland on the scoreboard in the 87th, Scott McKenna’s header off a free-kick hitting Rüdiger’s head and going in.
However, Germany had the last laugh when Can, who only joined the squad on Wednesday for ill Aleksandar Füllkrug, drilled the fifth into the bottom right corner.
