At 0:00 on June 20th, in the second round of Group A of the European Championship, the host team Germany will face Hungary at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart.
Germany is currently ranked 16th in the FIFA rankings. Last Friday, at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany defeated Scotland 5-1, not only securing a winning start to the European Championship but also setting a new record for the largest margin of victory in their history at the tournament. It seems that Hansi Flick only needed one game to dispel the doubts about Germany’s lack of competitive experience over the past year.
Although Rudiger’s own goal prevented Germany from achieving a clean sheet for the 13th consecutive game across all competitions, this minor flaw did not overshadow the brilliance of the team. The performances of Wirtz and Musiala were enough to excite fans and media alike, while veteran midfielders Kroos and Gundogan continued to provide stable output. Even traditional German target man Füllkrug, who came on as a substitute, almost scored twice. The match was too brutal for Scotland, but for Germany, it was just the beginning.
What pleases Flick even more is that there were no injuries in the match against Scotland. In particular, Gundogan’s ankle remained unscathed after suffering a challenge from Porteous’ studs. Germany doesn’t want to prolong the suspense, and Flick will continue to start Gundogan. In attack, the trio of Havertz, Musiala, and Wirtz, who became the youngest German goalscorer in the European Championship, will be deployed again. The only possible change might be in midfield and defense, as both Andrich and Tah received yellow cards in the opening match, and another booking would mean they would miss the final group match against Switzerland. However, if Germany secures qualification and even the top spot before the last round of the group stage, the issue of suspension becomes irrelevant.
Hungary is currently ranked 26th in the FIFA rankings. In their opening group game, they couldn’t withstand the pressure from the seasoned Swiss team. Varga’s goal briefly gave Hungary hope of an equalizer, but Embolo’s goal in the dying moments of the match secured victory for Switzerland.
Thanks to their superior goal difference, Hungary currently sits third in Group A. Facing the high-flying host team in the second round, their dream of reaching the top two in the group might be shattered before the final round. Rossi’s team can only hope for a sudden surge of energy, similar to the 2-2 draw they achieved against Germany in the group stage of the last European Championship.
In fact, after that draw, Hungary achieved a win and a draw against Germany in the Nations League, both home and away. This means that in their seven meetings since the turn of the millennium, Hungary has recorded two wins, two draws, and three losses against Germany. They are not at a significant disadvantage, and they even hold a slight psychological advantage in official matches (1 win, 2 draws). It’s worth noting that Hungary has scored in 12 consecutive matches across all competitions, creating a clash of opposites with Germany, who are struggling to keep clean sheets.
Hungary coach Rossi faces personnel problems, with midfielders Nego and Szalai and defender Balogh all absent from the game against Switzerland. Midfielder Bolla and defender Attila Szalai received yellow cards in the first match and need to be extra careful. Szoboszlai, who became the youngest captain in European Championship history in the previous game, will lead the team again. At 23, he still carries the hopes of Hungary’s qualification on his shoulders.
Having witnessed Scotland cause Germany trouble with long balls, Hungary should have received some inspiration. However, Germany usually likes to make a decisive start in major tournaments. Flick will undoubtedly continue to instruct his players to seal a knockout stage berth through attacking dominance.
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