UEFA Euro 2024 is into its 10th day and with it arrived the final round of group stage games. Starting with host nation Germany’s Group A, it was almost an unexpected result in the third and final fixture with Switzerland nearly securing top spot thanks to a narrow home win over Julian Nagelsmann’s side. A late, late equalizer saved German blushes and that was enough to hold on to first place ahead of the Swiss. It was also the last we have seen of Scotland and possibly Hungary, despite a third-placed finish with three points which sends the Tartan Army home with just a solitary point. There were three goals to show for Sunday’s Group A finale and now the first group is set although the Mannschaft’s 100% winning record is over.
Euro 2024 scores for Sunday
- Switzerland 1, Germany 1
- Scotland 0, Hungary 1
Group A
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Germany |
3 |
2 |
1 |
8 |
2 | 7 | |
|
Switzerland |
3 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
3 | 5 | |
|
Hungary |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
5 | 3 | |
|
Scotland |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
7 | 1 |
Switzerland 1, Germany 1: Nati hold hosts
Murat Yakin’s Switzerland side almost pulled off a stunning result in Frankfurt with a 1-0 lead over host nation Germany only wiped out at the death. It was not an undeserved Nati lead through a first-half Dan Ndoye goal which was teed up by Remo Freuler and the deficit could have been greater had a late offside not gone against the Swiss. However, substitute Niclas Fullkrug rose highest to head home a cross from fellow replacement David Raum to secure a point for the unbeaten home side.
It looked as if things were going the way of the Mannschaft when Robert Andrich scored early, but that effort was ruled out by VAR and the Germans seemed unable to recover after that. Ndoye punished them and much of what Nagelsmann’s side managed to do up until the dying moments failed to break Switzerland’s resolve. The late leveler does impact the final group standings, though, with Germany advancing unbeaten — albeit without a 100% record — and the Nati joining them with two points fewer.
With Germany’s 100% record gone, only Spain in Group B and Portugal in Group F can still hope to reach the round of 16 with nine points from a possible nine with the magic three-win total still in play for both. La Roja’s turn is Monday with Albania standing in their way while the Portuguese are up against Georgia on Wednesday which should see one of the two finish with maximum points.
Scotland 0, Hungary 1: Magyars can still dream
There was further Group A drama in Stuttgart where a Hungary goal at the death saw off Scotland in a game which was extended due to a nasty injury to Barnabas Varga. Marco Rossi’s side had been the more accurate in front of goal without scoring, but it appeared as if the Hungarians would have to settle for a point and elimination until substitute Kevin Csoboth popped up to score from a Roland Sallai assist to the delight of the Magyar supporters.
There is no guarantee that three points will eventually be enough for Hungary to advance to the round of 16, but it places them there — for now at least. Austria and Slovakia are both still ahead of the Hungarians with a game left to play while Slovenia are just behind and Albania as well as Czechia could yet sneak in front — assuming other teams do not fall out of first or second place in their respective groups at the last moment.
Given the worrying scenes regarding Varga’s injury and the lengthy delay it caused, Hungary will be hoping to have the chance to fight on so that their teammate’s efforts were not for nothing. There will now be a long wait to discover the precise extent of Varga’s injury while he is hospitalized and stable and exactly how the third-placed finishes shake out, but pride will have been restored after their two opening losses — if nothing else.
