Five star Germany overwhelm Scotland – Inside World Football

June 14 – Hosts Germany got their European Championship campaign off to a riproaring start as they ruthlessly blew away 10-man Scotland in the opening game in Munich with a 5-1 demolition.

The thousands of Scottish fans who had poured into town in good spirits and with high expectations were left shell-shocked as their side hardly laid a glove on vastly superior opposition and might even have lost by more.

First games are rarely decisive but after dire early exits in their previous three tournaments, Germany will take great heart from a totally one-sided display – the biggest win in an opening match in the history of the competition.

The Scots, conversely, will need to win at least one of their remaining two group games to stand a chance of advancing to the knockout stage for the first time in a major tournament.

Scotland’s hopes were effectively crushed in the opening 20 minutes as the Germans, driven on by an inspired display from Bayern Munich playmaker Jamal Musiala, came firing out of the blocks, exposing gaping holes between their opponents’ naïve defence and narrow midfield.

In a blistering start, Bayer Leverkesen’s Florian Wirtz fired in a low, spinning shot and although Angus Gunn got a firm hand to it, he couldn’t keep it out. Ten minutes later, Musiala, like Wirtz just 21, doubled the lead as he finished off a fabulous team goal.

Despite having beaten the likes of Spain and Norway in qualifying, Scotland came into the tournament in dodgy form and it showed throughout. Right on halftime, having already been relieved to see one penalty decision turned into a freekick just outside the box, they conceded another which stood.

Ilkay Gundogan’s downward header was brilliantly saved by Gunn and just as the German captain was about to pounce on the rebound, Ryan Porteous rushed in with a leg-breaking challenge.

Gundogan is Germany’s usual penalty taker but because of the rash challenge from Porteous, Arsenal’s Kai Havertz stepped up instead and calmly placed the ball down the middle. To compound Scotland’s woes, Porteous was shown a straight red card.

It was a nightmare 45 minutes for Steve Clarke’s team and by the end it had got even worse with the Germans too hot to handle for 10 men, let alone 11.

On 68 minutes, having already had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside, Niclas Fullkrug produced a wonderful finish on the rise before the mesmeric Musiala received a standing ovation as he was substituted with 16 minutes left.

Having watched their side totally outplayed, the Tartan Army at last had something to cheer  as they celebrated a consolation, albeit an own goal  by Antonio Rudiger.

But the hosts weren’t finished yet. In stoppage time Emre Can, called up only 48 hours previously, completed a chastening night for the Scots as he whipped a bending shot beyond an overworked and tiring defence.

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