Group A: 2-0 for Germany against Hungary
In the recent clash that played out in Stuttgart, Germany emerged victorious against Hungary with a 2-0 scoreline, thereby becoming the first team to cement their status in the succeeding round.
The most significant coach move in this Euro Championship could possibly have been Julian Nagelsmann coaxing Toni Kroos out of his international game retirement. The midfield magician from Madrid again stole the spotlight, exuding a natural confidence that elevates his team whilst instilling a sense of inadequacy and hopelessness in the opposition.
Rafael van der Vaart, the Dutch television commentator, had earlier berated Scotland for failing to contain Kroos. However, restricting the player is like skating on thin ice. Despite his seemingly laid-back pace resembling a golfer’s tempo, Kroos’ extraordinary ability to make last-minute decisions to deceive approaching challengers and pass precisely to a fellow player is remarkable. During this match, he accomplished 140 passes, exceeding the attempts of all other players by 35.
The cool-headedness and tactical prowess of both Kroos and Ilkay Gündoğan perfectly complement the high energy and creativity of up-and-coming midfielders Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. The equilibrium of the squad is further supplemented by the relentless efforts rendered by Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich.
This illustrious midfield partnership, perhaps the finest in the tournament thus far, was not exactly foreseeable a year back. To facilitate this, Nagelsmann had to dismantle a few years old Bayern-block, reassigning Joshua Kimmich as a right back, benching Thomas Müller, omitting Leon Goretzka from the team and placing faith in 33-year-old Gundogan. Looking back, these seem to have been wise moves.
Germany’s lead in the first half came after closely missed opportunities by Kai Havertz and Andrich. Jonathan Tah took possession in midfield and Wirtz delivered a swift low pass to Musiala in the D. Gündoğan made a quick forward dash into the box and Musiala’s skilfully directed pass was about to be intercepted by the positioned Willi Orban, until Gündoğan impaired Orban’s balance and strategy.
In an unfortunate turn of events, the Hungarian defender had a stumble and lost control of the ball, providing Gündoğan an opportunity to seize the moment to spin away from Peter Gulacsi, the oncoming goalie. In a desperate attempt, Bendeguz Bolla tried to intervene but ended up hitting the ball towards his own goalkeeper, making it easy for Gundogan to set Musiala up to score a goal from eight yards out.
After a moment of suspense for a goal review, it became clear that VAR had suspicions regarding Gündoğan’s charge. However, the Dutch officials concluded there was no sufficient evidence to protest, sparking outrage amongst the Hungarian supporters as they saw the goal replayed on the stadium’s large display.
The 39th minute of the match saw the Hungarian hardcore fans, dressed in black t-shirts, singing along to Gigi D’Agostino’s 1999 hit ‘L’Amour Toujours’. This song has lately gained notoriety in Germany, with viral videos showing it being used to chant xenophobic lyrics. The Austrian national team, too, had previously used this tune for their goal celebration. However, UEFA, after learning of its recent misuse, announced in May that it would not be played in stadiums during this tournament.
The incendiary song succeeded to silence the German audience, something the Hungarian team had failed to achieve throughout the match. Despite coming to the tournament with grand ambitions, the Hungarian team has been struggling to capture their once distinct football genius from the 1950s. Their surprising defeat to Ireland during the pre-tournament warm-up appears to have shattered their resilience.
The Hungarian team arrived in Dublin with a 14-match unbeaten streak, dating back to September 2022. National team captain Szoboszlai had never faced a loss while carrying the captain’s armband. However, this illusion of invincibility was shattered by Troy Parrott, making many wonder how the team managed to go that long without a defeat.
Instead of appearing as a resurrected Golden Team, Hungary resembled a typical underdog in the competition, complete with slower-paced players who were primarily occupied with maintaining a standard defensive lineup.
Szoboszlai, a standout performer during the qualifiers with a tally of four goals, reflected more of his recent lacklustre form at Liverpool – a figure on the periphery, wavering in confidence, hardly resembling the player worth 70 million euros. Well recognised by the German spectators owing to his stint at RB Leipzig, he was acknowledged as the Hungarian squad’s figurehead. A significant highlight of the match arrived at the 55th minute when Jonathan Tah forcefully pushed him towards the touchline, eliciting one of the biggest cheers.
After securing the initial goal in the first 22 minutes, Germany assured victory in the 22nd minute of the latter half. A direct pass from Kroos to Musiala began a play that saw Musiala momentarily draw the attention of three Hungarian defenders, before offloading the pass to Mittelstadt. Subsequently, Mittelstadt fed it back on a low trajectory to Gundogan, who netted a well-merited goal in reply. The German captain, remarkable in both matches to date, was awarded man of the match.
Regarding Hungary’s prospects, they need a significant win over Scotland the coming Sunday night, coupled with favourable outcomes in other matches, to keep their tournament hopes alive.