Host Germany demolish 10-man Scotland 5-1 in Euro 2024 opener
Germany thrashed 10-man Scotland 5-1 on Friday, scoring three goals in the first half to make a winning start to their Euro 2024 campaign and set a tournament record for the largest opening game margin of victory.
The Germans, chasing a record fourth European title and their first major trophy in a decade, scored through Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, and a Kai Havertz penalty before Niclas Fuellkrug and Emre Can added two late in the second half.
Scotland, who had defender Ryan Porteous sent off on the stroke of halftime, scored in the 87th minute through Antonio Ruediger's deflected own goal.
Germany's next match is against Hungary on Wednesday, followed by their final Group A match against Switzerland.
"We played with a lot of intensity and played the right spaces, took some risks and that is why we scored. We played an outstanding first half and we were up 3-0," Germany captain Ilkay Guendogan said.
"That is how we wanted to start. I had a good feeling before the game and I was proved right."
"The start is what we wanted but still the goal we let in showed that all teams have quality and if you don't pay attention you will be punished."
The Scots, who lost Porteous for a studs-up challenge on Guendogan that resulted in the hosts' penalty, must quickly regroup if they are to advance beyond the group stage for the first time in a major tournament.
The Germans, who lost their opening matches at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as the previous Euros in 2021, dominated possession from the start, while the Scots defended well.
That ambitious strategy proved fatal for the visitors, who left far too many open spaces in the back, and the hosts quickly punished them.
Toni Kroos delivered a perfect 30-metre cross for Joshua Kimmich, who timed his pass to Wirtz perfectly for the winger to drill home for a 10th-minute lead and become Germany's youngest Euros scorer at the age of 21.
With Scotland still recovering, Germany struck again nine minutes later, with Guendogan slipping another ball past the Scottish backline, this time to Havertz on the left, who laid it off for Musiala in the box to rifle home.
It was the start all of Germany had hoped for, with hundreds of thousands of fans erupting in joy across several fan zones, but there was more to come, with Porteus' reckless challenge and dismissal resulting in a penalty kick that Havertz easily converted.
It was one-way traffic again after the break, with Germany adding a fourth through substitute Fuellkrug's fiercely struck shot in the 69th minute, as Scotland coach Steve Clarke, the first man to lead the team to back-to-back Euros, watched helplessly.
"First half, we just got it all wrong really, didn't show up, weren't aggressive enough, and we let good players get on the ball," said Scotland captain Andy Robertson.
"Second half, we're down to 10 men and I thought the lads dug in really well. We have to bounce back quickly because there was lots wrong here and it’s a quick turnaround now."
Scotland, who had no shots on or off target, pulled one back late on when Ruediger inadvertently headed the ball into his own net, but substitute Emre Can curled home a fine shot in stoppage time to give the Germans their fifth goal.
The reeling Scots face the Swiss on Wednesday.
SportsLigue