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Euro 2024: Germany become first team to reach knockout stage after beating Hungary

By primenewsghana
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Germany became the first nation to reach the last 16 at Euro 2024 as goals from Jamal Musiala and Ilkay Gundogan secured a 2-0 victory over Hungary in Group A.

After thrashing Scotland on the opening night, Germany were provided a stiffer test by Hungary, who they had only beaten once in their last six meetings on home soil.

Manuel Neuer denied Roland Sallai just seconds into the game after sloppy defending by his team-mates, but Germany quickly moved into the ascendency, with Kai Havertz and Robert Andrich going close before Musiala struck.

The midfielder has a dazzling array of skills but it was a scrappy opener, with Willi Orban losing his balance after challenging Gundogan, allowing the captain to set up Musiala for a close-range finish.

Sallai thought he had levelled when he converted the rebound from a free-kick but was denied by a tight offside call, before Barnabas Varga - who almost scored an own goal in the first half - headed Hungary's best chance of the game over Neuer's crossbar.

Gundogan punished Varga's miss seven minutes later, sweeping Maximilian Mittelstadt's low cross beyond Peter Gulacsi to ensure Germany reached the next round with a game to spare.