Hosts Germany could hardly have wished for a better start to the UEFA European Championship on Friday as goals from Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala in an imperious first half set them on the way to a 5-1 win over 10-man Scotland in the curtain-raiser.
While Germany did not really have to break sweat against a sub-par Scotland at Allianz Arena, it was the ideal result to launch their tournament and ramp up excitement in the country.
“Yes, that’s exactly the way we wanted to start and, to be honest, we needed a start just like that,” Germany captain Ilkay Gundogan an told German broadcaster ZDF. “I had a good feeling before the game already, to be honest, and it came true, thank God, but exactly this atmosphere, the euphoria in the stadium now with our own fans, that’s exactly what we need in order to go far.”
Photo: AP
Pre-tournament title expectations among Germany fans were underwhelming after the team crashed out of their past three major tournaments, but they have opened with their biggest victory in Euros history.
They dominated the first half, which ended in the worst possible way for Scotland when defender Ryan Porteous was sent off and Kai Havertz converted the resulting penalty.
Substitutes Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can piled on to Scotland’s misery after the break.
“The first 20 minutes were very impressive. The first goals were very good,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “It’s very valuable that many players performed well early on. It was only the first step, but a very good one and we can build on this one. We’re very happy.”
Scotland, who had not had a shot on goal all match, gave their raucous fans something to celebrate late on when the ball was bundled into the back of the net off Germany defender Antonio Rudiger for an own-goal.
Steve Clarke’s side will have to do better against Hungary and Switzerland if they are to get out of Group A and reach the knockout stages for the first time.
“Difficult night. We didn’t play to our standard. The German team were excellent,” Clarke said. “We feel as though we’ve let ourselves down. We’re better than that. Hopefully we can show that the next two games.”
Scotland’s Tartan Army of supporters started the match in fine voice, but they were swiftly quietened when Wirtz scored in the 10th minute.
Toni Kroos picked out Joshua Kimmich with a brilliant crossfield lob and he rolled it across for Wirtz to fire in.
Wirtz became Germany’s youngest Euros goal-scorer at 21. Musiala, 67 days older than Wirtz, doubled Germany’s tally nine minutes later after combining well with Havertz.
Right on halftime, Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn only parried a header from Gundogan, but just when the captain appeared set to tuck home the rebound, he was upended by a thunderous challenge from Porteous.
Referee Clement Turpin showed Porteous a straight red card and awarded Germany a penalty, which Havertz converted.
Scotland hold out in the second half until an attempted exchange between Musiala and Gundogan fell kindly for Fullkrug. The substitute, who came on only five minutes earlier, unleashed a thunderbolt into the top-right corner.
Scotland’s late consolation came when Kieran McKenna’s header from a free-kick went in off Rudiger.
Still, Scotland conceded five goals for the first time in 12 years when Can, who was brought into the squad only two days ago as a late replacement for the ill Aleksandar Pavlovic, curled in a goal in stoppage-time.
“A great feeling and a crazy story... I was on vacation two days ago” Can told ZDF. “Then the call came on Wednesday, and on Wednesday evening I met up with the team, trained once yesterday, came in today [off the bench], scored a goal.
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