Hungary's coach Marco Rossi celebrates with players at the end of a Group A match between Scotland and Hungary. Photo / AP
Germany found a stoppage-time goal from substitute Niclas Füllkrug to draw 1-1 with Switzerland today and ensure the host nation finished top of their group.
Füllkrug rose high in a crowded penalty area to head into the far corner of the net past Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer from a cross by another substitute, David Raum.
Switzerland had impressed while protecting a 28th-minute goal from Dan Ndoye’s clever volleyed shot.
The point for each team ensured Germany finished top and Switzerland second in Group A. Hungary took third place in the standings with an even later stoppage-time goal to beat Scotland 1-0 in Stuttgart.
Germany now goes to Dortmund for a round of 16 game Sunday against the runner-up in Group C, which is currently led by England. Germany’s opponent would be Denmark according to the current standings before the final round of Group C games on Wednesday.
Switzerland heads to the Olympic Stadium in Berlin to open the round of 16 on Sunday against the runner-up in Group B, likely Italy or Croatia. They meet tomorrow in their decisive group game.
Switzerland’s goal was made in Bologna, the upstart Italian club that has qualified for their first Champions League entry next season.
Ndoye timed his run to meet a floated pass across the goalmouth from his Bologna teammate Remo Freuler. The attack began when Fabian Rieder, making his first start since the 2022 World Cup, won the ball in the German half and then fed Freuler.
A video review had denied Germany taking the lead in the 17th. Robert Andrich’s long-range shot bounced up and over the dive of Sommer, but the VAR team alerted Italian referee Daniele Orsato to an earlier foul in the goalmouth by Jamal Musiala.
The much-criticised Waldstadion playing surface behaved better today and the roof stayed closed to protect it though no more rain is forecast for at least five days.
The turf cut up during both previous Euro 2024 games in Frankfurt. It has seemed not to bed in properly since being laid in November after the stadium hosted two NFL games.
A dramatic stoppage-time goal saw Hungary beat Scotland 1-0 at the European Championship today to wreck their opponent’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time in their history.
Late substitute Kevin Csoboth scored his first international goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time to see Hungary secure third spot in Group A, behind first-place Germany and Switzerland.
Hungary now faces an anxious wait to see if its three points will be enough to reach the round of 16 at Euro 2024 as one of the four best third-place teams.
They might not find out until Thursday when the final round of group games finishes.
Saturday was hard to reconcile with what we have seen over the last two months.