Jamal Musiala opens scoring as Germany seal last 16 spot

Germany 2-0 Hungary
Goals: 1-0 Musiala 22' (assist: Gündoğan), 2-0 Gündoğan 67' (assist: Mittelstädt)

Germany were confident before kick-off, but Hungary immediately reminded them of the threat they pose, with Manuel Neuer needing to charge out of goal to tackle Freiburg's Roland Sallai in a perilous position in the goalmouth within seconds. The tournament hosts pressed forward in search of an early blow, with Kai Havertz shrugging off RB Leipzig's Willi Orbán to go through on goal only to be denied by a raised arm from another Leipzig man, Péter Gulácsi. The pressure told midway through the half, when İlkay Gündoğan latched onto a loose ball in the box to pull back for Musiala to rifle in. A sweetly struck free-kick from former Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai then almost hauled Hungary level, but Neuer saved it superbly. Germany stepped up a gear and looked for another goal before the interval, but were relieved in the end to retain the single-goal lead after a Sallai header was disallowed for offside.

Little changed in the pattern of play after the restart, with Germany's attacking movement and purpose stretching the Hungarian defence to its limits. It was not all one-way traffic, with Barnabás Varga sending a header over from short-range following a super Sallai cross. Germany then got a second goal with a top-class team move that led to Maximilian Mittelstädt cutting the ball back for captain Gündoğan to stroke in. There was no holding back the jubilant German fans in Stuttgart. Substitute Leroy Sané almost joined the great German EURO 2024 goalscoring party, forcing Gulácsi into a strong save with a powerful drive. Niclas Füllkrug sent a late header wide as Germany continued to play with a real swagger, and although no further goals came, the convincing win leaves them sitting pretty at the top of Group A with six points and assured of their progression to the knockout stages. 

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