Germany beat Hungary to reach Euro 2024 knockouts

Germany 2-0 Hungary
Goals: 1-0 Musiala 22' (assist: Gündoğan), 2-0 Gündoğan 67' (assist: Mittelstädt)

Germany were confident before kick-off, but Hungary immediately reminded them of the threat they pose, with Manuel Neuer needing to charge out of goal to tackle Freiburg's Roland Sallai in a perilous position in the goalmouth within seconds. The tournament hosts pressed forward in search of an early blow, with Kai Havertz shrugging off RB Leipzig's Willi Orbán to go through on goal only to be denied by a raised arm from another Leipzig man, Péter Gulácsi. The pressure told midway through the half, when İlkay Gündoğan latched onto a loose ball in the box to pull back for Musiala to rifle in. A sweetly struck free-kick from former Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai then almost hauled Hungary level, but Neuer saved it superbly. Germany stepped up a gear and looked for another goal before the interval, but were relieved in the end to retain the single-goal lead after a Sallai header was disallowed for offside.

Little changed in the pattern of play after the restart, with Germany's attacking movement and purpose stretching the Hungarian defence to its limits. It was not all one-way traffic, with Barnabás Varga sending a header over from short-range following a super Sallai cross. Germany then got a second goal with a top-class team move that led to Maximilian Mittelstädt cutting the ball back for captain Gündoğan to stroke in. Substitute Leroy Sané almost joined the great German Euro 2024 goalscoring party, forcing Gulácsi into a strong save with a powerful drive. Substitute Niclas Füllkrug sent a late header wide as Germany continued to play with a real swagger, and although no further goals came, the convincing win leaves them sitting pretty at the top of Group A with six points and assured of their progression to the knockout stages. 

Watch: The best of Musiala from 2023/24

Match stats

• Musiala scored his fourth goal for Germany and became the first player to score two goals at EURO 2024.
• Neuer's 17th appearance at a European championship today sees him match Gianluigi Buffon as the goalkeeper to feature the most at European championships.
• Gündoğan now has 19 goals for Germany. His previous strike for his country was the first goal they scored under Julian Nagelsmann during a 3-1 friendly win against USA in October 2023. 
• Germany have won their first two games at the Euros for the fifth time (after 1972, 1980, 1996 and 2012). In three of the previous four such occasions, they went on to lift the trophy (2012 the exception).
• Germany kept their first clean sheet in seven EURO games.
• Germany and Hungary have met three times before at major tournaments, with 20 goals scored (6.7 per game). This is the first time Germany have opened the scoring.

Teams

Germany: Neuer - Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Mittelstädt - Andrich (Can 72'), Kroos - Musiala (Führich 72'), Gündoğan (c) (Undav 84'), Wirtz (Sané 58') - Havertz (Füllkrug 58')
Unused subs: Anton, Baumann, Beier, Groß, Henrichs, Koch, Müller, Raum, Schlotterbeck, Ter Stegen
Out: Ginter (Achilles), Gnabry (hamstring), Pavlović (tonsilitis)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann  

Hungary: Gulácsi - Fiola, Orbán, Dárdai - Bolla (Ádám 75'), A. Nagy (Kleinheisler 64'), Schäfer, Kerkez (Z. Nagy 75') - Sallai (Csoboth 87'), Szoboszlai (c) - Varga (Gazdag 87')
Unused subs: Balogh, Bolla, Botka, Dárdai, Dibusz, Horváth, Kata, Lang, Négo, Styles, Szalai, Szappanos
Out: Kalmár (groin)
Coach: Marco Rossi