Key events
Barney Ronay was at the Allian Munich Football Arena for opening night:
Let’s rock! Germany’s players were clearly paying close and diligent attention to Julian Nagelsmann’s pre-tournament press conference on Thursday night. At the Munich Football Stadium the hosts kicked off Euro 2024 with a kind of pomp-metal power surge, a first half display that produced three goals, a red card for Ryan Porteous, a series of lovely supple passing moves fed through the rhythm section Toni Kroos, and evidence of just how well Nagelsmann has balanced this talented team.
A word for Christina Unkel, who made her ITV debut as the refereeing expert analyst. She did very well, explaining the key talking points clearly and concisely – which is no surprise, given her knowledge and experience. And yet, the pond life of Twitter seem to have a problem with her, for some reason.
Roy Keane isn’t impressed by Robertson’s remarks. “Angry tomorrow? You should be angry for a long time. Scotland didn’t lay a glove on them tonight. There was no aggression.”
Here’s the Scotland captain, Andrew Robertson. “First half, we just got it all wrong. We didn’t turn up … their game plan worked a million times better. Second half, we’re down to 10 men, I thought the lads dug in really well, but a sloppy goal at the end.”
“We’ve got a lot to do, to turn things around by Tuesday (when they face Switzerland). This tournament is difficult, we’re up against world-class teams, [but] we know we didn’t play to our maximum. Dust ourselves off, take tomorrow to be angry with ourselves, then we have to be positive and go again.”
Some good news for Scotland: they outperformed their xG – which was zero. Germany only getting 2.51 seems harsh, to be honest.
Germany (2.51) 5-1 (0.00) Scotland
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) June 14, 2024
Graeme Souness gives his verdict: “Scotland were miserable tonight. I feel really disappointed. People are saying Germany played well, but we’ll see how they do against a really good team.”
Full time: Germany 5-1 Scotland
Were Germany very good tonight? Yes. Were Scotland pretty terrible? Also yes. It’s a painful night for Steve Clarke’s side, the damage done in a first half that ended with Scotland three goals and a man down. As for the hosts, they’ve announced themselves as contenders to win the whole thing. They were creative, cohesive and ruthless in taking their chances, with Jamal Musiala particularly excellent.
GOAL! Germany 5-1 Scotland (Emre Can 93′)
With ‘Flower of Scotland’ ringing around the Allianz Arena – and fans dreaming of drawing this second half – Emre Can spoils the party with a fine low finish from the edge of the area. It’s fünf for Germany!
90 mins: There will be three added minutes.
Scotland fans cheered that goal heartily, then launched into a rendition of “no Scotland, no party”. Now a chant of “you’re not signing any more” is echoing around the arena. The Tartan Army deserved that goal, at least.
GOAL! Germany 4-1 Scotland (Rüdiger own goal 87′)
From distance, Robertson drills in a fine delivery which flicks off Fullkrug to McKenna at the back post. He heads back across goal, and it pings off Rudiger into the net!
85 mins: Sané is one of the few players who isn’t waiting for the final whistle. Presumably keen to state his case for a starting place, he is shooting on sight – but his latest effort flies high over Gunn’s crossbar.
“Now’s the time to put your money on Scotland to get out of the group, I suppose,” sighs Simon McMahon. “But not too much money, mind.”
83 mins: Sané bends a shot at goal, but Gunn is right behind it. “I’ve been looking at the clock since about 57 minutes,” admits Ally McCoist. Some Scotland fans look like they’re heading back to Marienplatz early.
82 mins: Lawrence Shankland is on for Ryan Christie, and almost latches on to a Ralston cross. Germany break at speed, as expected, and three Scotland players have to scurry back and crowd out Sané.
80 mins: Kroos goes off to another rousing reception, and is replaced by Emre Can. The Dortmund midfielder was only called up a few days ago, after Bayern’s Aleks Pavlovic was ruled out with tonsilitis. Scott McKenna is on for Scotland, replacing the overworked Kieran Tierney.
78 mins: Mittelstadt, who has also been very good indeed, swings a cross to Muller, who tries to nudge it towards the far post – but Robertson gets back to scramble it away.
No goal! Scotland slip deeper into nightmare territory as Mittelstadt crosses, Fullkrug bullies Hanley off the ball and despite Gunn getting a hand to it, the ball loops into the net. But the forward was just offside, and the semi-automated VAR process is quick to rule it out.
72 mins: Hanley – who might be the only Scotland player to emerge with any credit tonight – gets his head to another decent delivery. Germany corner, and time for Jamal Musiala, surely the player of the match, to make way. He gets a huge ovation from his home crowd. His replacement? Thomas Müller.
70 mins: On ITV, Ally McCoist said Fullkrug replacing Havertz might be a good thing for the Scotland defence. He is, of course, happy to admit his error.
GOAL! Germany 4-0 Scotland (Füllkrug 68′)
Germany reassert their total dominance in a matter of seconds, Musiala sweeping downfield and playing it short to Gundogan. He can’t control the ball but it ricochets to Fullkrug, about 12 yards out, who turns and absolutely smashes it into the far corner. Absolutely brutal.
67 mins: Scotland free kick, launched into the box by McTominay – but it has just too much pace for Jack Hendry to get his head on it. And then …
65 mins: Grant Hanley heads behind for a corner, from which Mittelstadt fires an ambitious effort over the bar. Scotland are making more changes, with Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean on for McGinn and McGregor.
64 mins: Get your “awful night at the office” bingo cards out, because Steve Clarke is now arguing with his own assistant coach, Austin MacPhee. Clarke isn’t happy with how exposed his team were from their own attacking set piece.
63 mins: Tah gets booked for a foul on McGregor, and Scotland have a free kick. It comes to nothing – worse, in fact, as Scotland leave space for Sané to advance on goal. His shot is weak, though, and straight at Angus Gunn.
62 mins: That’s the end of Havertz and Wirtz’ nights – both scored to cap excellent displays. Who’s coming on? Niclas Füllkrug and Leroy Sané. Come on Julian, show some mercy.
61 mins: Not for the first time, a long ball has Scotland’s back line in bits – but Havertz can’t connect to Rudiger’s pass and Gunn is able to snatch the ball up before Wirtz gets to it.
59 mins: Jamal Musiala has had, by his standards, a disappointing season with Bayern – but he’s unplayable tonight, again causing havoc with a run infield and a cross that Gunn has to stick a leg out to clear. Thankfully for him, Gundogan’s shot on the rebound is blocked by McGregor.
57 mins: Oof, this could have been four. Musiala darts in from the left, putting Ralston in all sorts of trouble before rolling it back to Mittelstadt. His deep cross is perfect for Wirtz, whose first-time shot zips just over the bar!
56 mins: The corner is half-cleared, Gross thinks about a shot but keeps the ball moving instead – and Kimmich sees his effort from distance blocked.
54 mins: Tierney’s raking long ball down the left towards Christie is intercepted by Tah. Germany move upfield again through Gross, who feeds it to Wirtz on the left, and his cross is deflected behind for a corner.
52 mins: Gundogan tries to hook a high pass out to Kimmich, overcooks it and looks absolutely disgusted with himself.
50 mins: After McGinn tries and fails to find Ryan Christie, who is now Scotland’s most attacking player, Rudiger strolls forward and has a shot. It’s well hit, low and swerving, and Angus Gunn has to palm it round the post.
47 mins: Julian Nagelsmann has made a half-time change too, with the booked Andrich replaced by Pascal Gross. Musiala, who has been fantastic so far, ghosts away from McGinn and finds Wirtz, who is dumped on the turf by Ralston. Yellow card.
46 mins: They do win an early free kick out on the left, which McTominay lifts into the box. It’s a dangerous delivery, just about dealt with by Havertz at the near post.
Peep!
The second half is under way – “a long, long half for Scotland,” Ally McCoist warns. Che Adams isn’t coming back out, he’s replaced by Grant Hanley as the Levein 4-6-0 (well, 4-5-0) makes its return.
@niallmcveigh Well, Germany’s Net Run Rate is already looking pretty healthy. I imagine they’ll be looking to improve it in the second innings.
— Eddy Nason (@EddyNason) June 14, 2024
How’s Simon McMahon getting on? “This is embarrassing, or as we say up here, a total minter.”
Half-time thoughts
“Toni Kroos having all the time in the world to pick out inch-perfect passes. Did the news of his coming back out of retirement not reach Scotland?” wonders Sam Jones. “I feel like most teams would be putting someone on Kroos with the sole aim of just applying more pressure to him.” It’s certainly worth a try.
“Watching from Shanghai at 4am,” writes Steven Grundy. “Three-nil down after 45 minutes and a player sent off. Not great. It seems to me that there is only one grown up on the field – Kroos is popping up everywhere.”
It’s been a good half for the officials, though. “It appears VAR can be used correctly,” notes Richard Slessor. “I’m also approving of the new rule that means only the captain can swear at the referee.”
Half time! Germany 3-0 Scotland
Could that have gone any better for the hosts? Not really. Could it have been any worse for Scotland? See previous answer. Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and a Kai Havertz penalty – plus Ryan Porteous’s red card – leave Steve Clarke’s side facing a battle to avoid total humiliation in the second half. More soon.
