June 19 – You have to go back to 1984 for the last time the host nation won the Euros.
There’s a long way to go in the current edition, of course, but Germany will be feeling mighty good about themselves after seeing off Hungary 2-0 to guarantee a place in the last 16, the first side to do so.
This is vastly different Germany in terms of style, speed of movement and confidence to the one that tamely exited the last three major tournaments prematurely. A throwback, in one way, to the German teams of old.
What a start it has been from the hosts, what a transformation among the mood of their fans.
Not that they were nearly as dominant today as they were in the demolition of Scotland. For long periods in Stuttgart, Hungary made their fans proud as they gave as good as they got in terms of chances if not possession.
The difference was that Germany had quality all over the pitch and now the dreams of the Magyars – who came into this tournament on the back of 14 games unbeaten – are hanging by the slimmest of threads.
Back in 1954, West Germany, as they were then, came from behind to beat the hotly favoured Hungarians to win the World Cup. It was a victory all the more surprising since the Germans were hammered 8-3 in the group stage.
Times have moved on big time in terms of football’s traditional powerhouses with Germany now one of the continent’s heavyweights and Hungary having to battle their way into finals such as these.
Having said that, they had enjoyed the better recent results between the two countries and desperately needed to come away with something today, perhaps more than at any time in recent years.
They could easily have opened the score inside 30 seconds but for Manuel Neuer dashing off his line to save and continued to give the hosts plenty to think about in the early stages.
But on 23 minutes they fell behind, Jamal Musiala – him again – sweetly rifling the ball into the net. The goal stood after a VAR check to see if Ilkay Gundogan’s push on Willi Orban was worthy of a foul. The Hungarians thought it was. VAR disagreed.
As they responded, Hungary’s best player on the night, Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, almost caught out Neuer with a gorgeous freekick that was just cleared to safety, then saw another goalbound effort intercepted.
At the other end, a German corner skimmed off the head of Barnabas Varga who almost conceded the fifth own goal of the tournament. Musiala then exploded a shot into the side netting when it seemed for all the world like he had scored.
Nothing was going for the underdogs. Right on halftime, Szoboszlai’s cross was flicked on by Willi Orban into the path of Roland Sallai, who nodded it home. The celebrations last seconds. Offside.
Had Hungary burned themselves out after having to do so much running? It seemed so when Peter Gulacsi pulled off an excellent double save early in the second half.
But back they came as Varga – 29 goals for Ferencvaros last season – missed their best chance of the game on the hour when he planted a free header over the bar.
How Hungary, who hadn’t gone goalless since June last year, needed that to go in.
Instead, on 66 minutes, their hopes were dashed as skipper Gundogan, given acres of space, finished off a glorious team move to double his team’s lead.
That was effectively that. Shell-shocked, the crestfallen Hungarians twice almost conceded a third. They semi-recovered to go agonisingly close in the dying moments but it would have been too little, too late.
No-one can accuse them of not showing up after the limp opening display against the Swiss but ultimately they paid for their toothlessness when it mattered most. Germany, meanwhile, march on and will win the group if they draw with or beat Switzerland on Sunday.
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