Musiala Shines as Germany Beat Hungary to Reach Last 16
Jamal Musiala scored once again as Germany continued their winning streak at Euro 2024, securing a victory over Hungary to become the first team to advance to the knockout stages.
The Bayern Munich forward impressed throughout the match, scoring midway through the first half and narrowly missing another powerful effort shortly after. He received a standing ovation when substituted late in the second half.
Hungary expressed frustration over Musiala's opener, claiming a foul by Ilkay Gundogan on defender Willi Orban before the Barcelona midfielder assisted Musiala, who fired into the roof of the net. A video assistant referee (VAR) check upheld the on-field decision, and Musiala celebrated with his teammates in front of Hungary supporters.
Hungary thought they had equalized just before half-time, but Roland Sallai's rebound header was ruled out for offside. Germany extended their lead in the second half when former Manchester City player Gundogan, left unmarked, slotted comfortably past goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.
Following their dominant 5-1 win over Scotland, Germany had to work harder for this victory, with Hungary posing occasional threats and defending stubbornly. Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai showcased his set-piece prowess, with a curling effort that required a save from Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Szoboszlai came close again during a bright period in the first half but was thwarted by an excellent block from Jonathan Tah.
Germany's performance, while not as dominant as their previous game, was sufficient to secure the win and make it six points from their opening two games. They are now confirmed for the last 16 and will finish as Group A winners if they avoid defeat against Switzerland in Frankfurt on Sunday (20:00 BST).
This result is a setback for Hungary, who also lost their opening match against Switzerland. They will need to overcome their frustrations and secure a win against Scotland to have any chance of advancing.
"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," said Hungary boss Marco Rossi. "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 anyway because they were better than us, but the referee was the worst on the pitch."
