Jamal Musiala continued his impressive form, leading Germany to a victory over Hungary in Euro 2024, securing their spot in the knockout stages. The Bayern Munich forward excelled throughout the match, scoring midway through the first half. He nearly doubled his tally with a powerful shot that just missed the post and received a standing ovation when substituted late in the second half.
Hungary contested Musiala’s opener, claiming a foul by Ilkay Gundogan on defender Willi Orban before the Barcelona midfielder assisted Musiala’s goal. However, a video assistant referee (VAR) review upheld the on-field decision, allowing Musiala and his teammates to celebrate in front of Hungary supporters.
Hungary almost equalized just before halftime, but Roland Sallai’s header was ruled offside. Germany extended their lead in the second half when former Manchester City player Gundogan was left unmarked, scoring comfortably past goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.
Following their dominant 5-1 victory over Scotland, Germany faced a tougher challenge from Hungary, who defended resolutely and posed occasional threats. Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai showcased his set-piece prowess, forcing a save from Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with a curling effort. Szoboszlai had another opportunity in the first half, but his shot was blocked by Jonathan Tah.
Germany’s performance, though not flawless, demonstrated creativity and control, earning them six points from their first two games and securing their place in the last 16. They will finish as Group A winners if they avoid defeat against Switzerland in Frankfurt on Sunday at 20:00 BST.
For Hungary, this defeat compounds their opening loss to Switzerland, leaving them needing a win against Scotland to have any chance of advancing. Hungary’s head coach Marco Rossi expressed his frustration with the officiating, stating, “I’ve never complained in my career as a coach. I’ve never looked for excuses but what the referee did tonight – I mean, come on. It’s something that I think even the Germans have seen – the referee had double standards. The VAR at this level didn’t say anything. Germany would have won anyways because they were better than us but the referee was the worst on the pitch.”
Germany’s victory, marked by Musiala’s standout performance, keeps their Euro 2024 campaign on track as they prepare for their final group match against Switzerland.
