Isn’t it amazing how quickly perceptions can change? At 9pm local time on Sunday, Germany kicked off their final group game as favourites to win Euro 2024 . By half-time, many fans must have wondered whether it might all come crashing down for the hosts as soon as the last 16. By 11pm, the feel-good factor was back.
Faith was swiftly restored. After Germany’s mauling of Scotland came a trickier but well-earned win over Hungary , and then this: a 1-1 draw against Switzerland, secured in added time and saving the hosts from a second-place finish in Group A. For 64 minutes of game time and the 15 forming the interval, a last-16 clash against Italy was on the cards.
Although the defending champions are admittedly yet to discover their fate in Group B, the German feel-good factor was fading in Frankfurt. But it was recoverable, and in the end, it was recovered by Niclas Fullkrug . But what about the start? It was not as if Julian Nagelsmann had fielded a weakened side here; the 36-year-old played the same starting XI that tore through Scotland so mercilessly, and which showed maturity and professionalism to see off Hungary.
It was expected that those players would not only beat Switzerland, but that fielding them together again would offer a useful consistency and momentum ahead of the knockouts. It wasn’t quite that straightforward, and not only because Jonathan Tah’s booking has ruled the centre back out of the next round. Still, Germany started well enough.
Jamal Musial.
