Germany have booked their knockout place in Euros after chaotic Hungary win

Staff Writers
AP
Ilkay Gundogan celebrates Germany's second goal in their 2-0 win over Hungary in Stuttgart.
Ilkay Gundogan celebrates Germany's second goal in their 2-0 win over Hungary in Stuttgart. Credit: AAP

Jamal Musiala scored his second goal in the tournament, which was to help Germany beat Hungary 2-0 and book their spot in the European Championship knockout stage.

Musiala opened the scoring in the 22nd minute on Wednesday with a goal that Hungary furiously protested. ?lkay Gundogan had set that up and the Germany captain got on the scoresheet himself in the second half.

The 21-year-old Musiala had netted Germany’s second goal in the 5-1 opening victory over Scotland on Friday and again impressed.

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But Hungary, who lost 3-1 to Switzerland on Saturday, now face an uphill challenge to advance.

They play Scotland in the final Group A match on Sunday when Julian Nagelsmann’s German side take on Switzerland.

Hungary were unbeaten in their previous three matches against Germany, winning the last time the two met, and they put up a good fight against the hosts in Stuttgart.

The noise level ramped up every time Musiala had the ball and the Stuttgart-born forward opened the scoring in chaotic fashion.

He tried to set up Gundogan only for Hungary defender Willi Orban to get to the ball first.

But he stumbled, following what Turkey protested was a shove by Gundogan, and as goalie Peter Gulacsi tried to help him, Gundogan poked it onto Musiala, who smashed it into the net.

Hungary almost levelled immediately but Neuer did brilliantly to parry Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick and then keep out a follow-up with his foot.

Germany was seemingly in control in the second half and Gulacsi denied both Gundogan and Toni Kroos. But the hosts almost gifted Hungary an equaliser when shocking defending allowed Sallai to cross to Barnabas Varga for a free header from six yards out but it went narrowly over.

Germany doubled their lead in the 68th minute when Maximilian Mittelstadt rolled the ball across from the left and Gundogan drove it into the bottom right corner.

Earlier, Croatia and Albania drew 2-2 in an intense battle, a result that could make it difficult for both teams to survive the group stages.

In the first-ever competitive match between the two Balkan teams on Wednesday, Croatia tried to set the pace from the start, but it was Albania’s Qazim Laci who scored first, heading in a cross from the right flank in the 11th minute.

Andrej Kramaric equalised about half an hour into the second half and an own goal by Klaus Gjasula made it 2-1 for Croatia just two minutes later.

Gjasula then redeemed himself by scoring Albania’s equaliser in injury time.

The result leaves both sides in a precarious situation in Group B after Croatia lost to Spain and Albania to Italy in their first matches.

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