Florian Wirtz (above) and Jamal Musiala (right) opened the scoring for Germany against the Scots with no chance.
Photo: imago/LaPresse
The big summer party has started. With the finest magical football, Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala gave the German national team the dream start they had been waiting for in the 5-1 (3-0) win against Scotland. After the perfect opening evening with the enthusiastically celebrated German European Championship victory, a new summer fairy tale is no longer just a vague dream. The fans in the sold-out Munich Arena celebrated the hosts’ first football festival.
The outstanding young stars Wirtz (10th minute) and Musiala (19th) as well as Kai Havertz with a penalty kick (45th + 1), joker Niclas Füllkrug (68th) and Emre Can (90th + 3) scored the goals in front of 66,000 spectators. Scotland’s Ryan Porteous was shown a red card after a nasty kick on İlkay Gündoğan, which resulted in a penalty just before half-time. The Scottish goal from an own goal by Antonio Rüdiger was just a cosmetic mistake (87th).
With quick combinations and the long-missed punch in front of the goal, the team from the German Football Association (DFB) managed to send the important signal in the first game after three defeats at the start of the tournament – as in the home World Cup in 2006. Energetic and tactically perfectly adjusted by national coach Julian Nagelsmann showed captain Ilkay Gündoğan and his colleagues that they can withstand the great pressure.
On Wednesday in Stuttgart, with another success in the second tournament game against Hungary, a place in the round of 16 is already possible – although the opponent will then be able to put up a lot more resistance than the Scots, who were shocked by German power football.
The German team had immediately taken command. Less than a minute had been played when Wirtz tested Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn for the first time. Fast, short passing game, early pressing, high proportions of ball possession – the DFB team was immediately at operating temperature.
And the hoped-for early goal was achieved. Just like in 2006, when Philipp Lahm gave the starting signal for the summer fairy tale after just six minutes against Costa Rica. This time it happened after ten minutes. Wirtz got the shot via Toni Kroos, the brilliant midfielder, and Joshua Kimmich, while Gunn could only reach the ball with his fingertips. National coach Nagelsmann, who had admitted to being a little nervous before the game, celebrated the goal with a celebration run. “They’re hot, they’re keen, they’re hungry,” the youngest German tournament coach announced – and he was right.
The high-speed German football silenced the loud Scottish supporters a little. 10,000 Tartan Army fans were in the stadium and more than 100,000 Scots in the city. And they were completely satisfied when the second magician in the German team also scored. After a fine pass from Havertz, Musiala put the ball into the net, preceded by a dream pass from Gündogan.
The entire German bank jumped up and applauded, which also documented the solidarity. And after just 21 minutes, the voices echoed from the stands: “Oh, how beautiful that is!” Feelings of happiness that the German fans, battered by three disgraceful tournaments, had to wait a long time for. Shortly before the end of the first half there was a late penalty. Gündogan wanted to take a follow-up shot, but was rudely knocked off his feet by Porteous. Consequently, the Scot flew off the pitch after studying the video, and Havertz didn’t miss the chance from the penalty spot. For the first time, the DFB team scored three goals in the first half of a European Championship. The many setbacks and defeats from the past were suddenly forgotten.
With the majority, the German team no longer had anything to fear from the already harmless Scottish footballers. Rüdiger (51′), Wirtz (58′), who is now the youngest German European Championship goalscorer, and Maximilian Mittelstädt (65′) had further good opportunities. Joker Füllkrug, who came into the game for Wirtz, then heaved the ball into the top corner of the goal. Even defense chief Rüdiger’s unfortunate own goal couldn’t stop the exuberant party atmosphere. Especially not when Can scored the final point for a 5-1 win.dpa/nd
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