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 high spot in Group A and keep 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, are actually on a seven-game unbeaten run stretching again to November and saved plugging away till the equaliser finally got here via Fullkrug’s highly effective header.
The house facet had a purpose disallowed and a number of other penalty appeals rejected by Italian referee Daniele Orsato, and it appeared to be a irritating evening earlier than Fullkrug completed one among their 18 makes an attempt at purpose in a feverish ambiance 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 via to the spherical of 16 can be safe.
Germany high 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 the most effective third-placed groups following a 1-0 win over eradicated Scotland, who’re eradicated.
“In fact, we’d have favored 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 will 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 which 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 in some way beat Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer at his close to put up however the latter’s blushes have been spared when the purpose was dominated out for a foul by Jamal Musiala.
As an alternative 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 facet of the field, his low cross was became the roof of the web 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 large 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 move in David Raum’s cross within the 92nd minute and protect their unbeaten begin to their dwelling championship.
“I feel whenever you see the Germans celebrating, we will be pleased with ourselves,” Swiss captain Granit Xhaka instructed SRF. “It isn’t straightforward in opposition to a workforce like that. Nonetheless, the late equaliser hurts.
“Everybody fought for one another and ran for one another. Now we have to push ourselves to the restrict. Then we are able to beat anybody. Now we have taken step one and are actually trying 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 a minimum of 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 a minimum of 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 trying 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 a minimum of 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 trying 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 nicely deserved. We risked rather a lot on this section of the sport, we may have conceded a second purpose however it was a very good match,” Nagelsmann mentioned after the match. “I feel it was nicely 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 might have been troublesome for Switzerland.”
Whether or not Havertz did sufficient to maintain his beginning place remans to be seen, with Germany trying 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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