Striker Niclas Füllkrug scored a stoppage time equaliser as hosts Germany rescued some extent after a 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Sunday to seal prime spot in Group A and preserve their momentum going into the spherical of 16 of Euro 2024.
Swiss ahead Dan Ndoye had threatened to spoil the occasion with a primary half opener, however Germany, who had already sealed a round-of-16 place earlier than kickoff, at the moment are on a seven-game unbeaten run stretching again to November and saved plugging away till the equaliser ultimately got here by means of Fullkrug’s highly effective header.
The house aspect had a purpose disallowed and a number of other penalty appeals rejected by Italian referee Daniele Orsato, and it seemed to be a irritating evening earlier than Fullkrug completed one among their 18 makes an attempt at purpose in a feverish environment in Frankfurt.
It denied the Swiss what would have been a second win over Germany in 22 aggressive matches relationship again to 1959, however their passage by means of to the spherical of 16 can be safe.
Germany prime the pool with seven factors from their three video games, two forward of Switzerland, whereas Hungary (three factors) should wait to see if they are going to advance as among the finest third-placed groups following a 1-0 win over eradicated Scotland, who’re eradicated.
“After all, we’d have preferred to win the sport and to play nice soccer,” Germany captain Ilkay Gundogan mentioned. “However I feel you additionally want video games like that in a match. And that may also be an actual power for the subsequent video games, hopefully.”
Kai Havertz’s early header from a nook was saved by the Swiss keeper after which a shout for a penalty when he was bundled over the field was dismissed on a irritating night for him that will draw consideration to his effectiveness within the workforce.
Germany thought that they had the lead on 17 minutes when Robert Andrich’s shot from 30 yards one way or the other beat Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer at his close to publish however the latter’s blushes had been spared when the purpose was dominated out for a foul by Jamal Musiala.
As a substitute it was the Swiss who scored simply earlier than the half-hour mark. Musiala was bundled off the ball in midfield and when Remo Freuler was discovered on the left-hand aspect of the field, his low cross was become the roof of the online by Ndoye.
Ilkay Gündogan mishit a shot from the sting of the field when well-placed early within the second interval, and Toni Kroos drilled the ball vast from distance as Germany pushed for the equaliser.
They created quite a few probabilities as they camped within the Swiss half, however after Havertz had wasted a number of, Fullkrug rose highest to go in David Raum’s cross within the 92nd minute and protect their unbeaten begin to their dwelling championship.
“I feel if you see the Germans celebrating, we might be pleased with ourselves,” Swiss captain Granit Xhaka advised SRF. “It isn’t straightforward towards a workforce like that. Nonetheless, the late equaliser hurts.
“Everybody fought for one another and ran for one another. We’ve to push ourselves to the restrict. Then we will beat anybody. We’ve taken step one and at the moment are wanting ahead to the spherical of 16.”
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann picked the identical beginning XI for the third recreation in a row, however will probably be pressured into at the least one change for the last-16 after Jonathan Tah picked up a second yellow card of the group levels and will probably be suspended.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann picked the identical beginning XI for the third recreation in a row, however will probably be pressured into at the least one change for the last-16 after Jonathan Tah picked up a second yellow card of the group levels and will probably be suspended.
Whether or not Havertz did sufficient to maintain his beginning place remans to be seen, with Germany wanting extra threatening when Fuellkrug got here on to attain his thirteenth worldwide purpose in 19 caps, solely six of which he has began.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann picked the identical beginning XI for the third recreation in a row, however will probably be pressured into at the least one change for the last-16 after Jonathan Tah picked up a second yellow card of the group levels and will probably be suspended.
Whether or not Havertz did sufficient to maintain his beginning place remans to be seen, with Germany wanting extra threatening when Fuellkrug got here on to attain his thirteenth worldwide purpose in 19 caps, solely six of which he has began.
“Ultimately I feel the purpose is effectively deserved. We risked lots on this part of the sport, we might have conceded a second purpose however it was a very good match,” Nagelsmann mentioned after the match. “I feel it was effectively deserved that we got here again. If we’d have scored the primary purpose within the seventeenth minute (Robert Andrich’s disallowed effort) I feel it could have been troublesome for Switzerland.”
Whether or not Havertz did sufficient to maintain his beginning place remans to be seen, with Germany wanting extra threatening when Fullkrug got here on to attain his thirteenth worldwide purpose in 19 caps, solely six of which he has began.
Germany will face the second-place workforce in Group C, with England, Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia all nonetheless within the combine, in Dortmund on Saturday. Switzerland will play the second-place workforce in Group B on the identical day in Berlin, with Italy, Albania and Croatia their potential opponents.
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