Jamal Musiala scored his third goal of this summer’s European Championships, of course he did, as hosts Germany punched their ticket into next week’s quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over a stubborn Denmark in Saturday’s evening kick-off. Hours earlier, defending champs Italy went out with a whimper as they were outplayed by Switzerland – England could await them next week….
Vargas vanquishes Italians as Swiss sail through
RUBEN Vargas set up the first and curled home a stinging second moments after the second-half began to send Italy home, as the defending European champions crashed out of this year’s tournament without much fight – emblematic of the teething problems they’ve been having since the tournament began a fortnight ago.
It would’ve been a more jarring scoreline than 2-0 for Luciano Spalletti’s side had Gianluigi Donnarumma, the player of the competition three summers ago, not made a string of important interventions – particularly to keep out Fabian Rieder’s goalbound free-kick just before the break and Breel Embolo 20 minutes earlier.
An inquest into how they let themselves falter with minimal resistance will go on for weeks and likely months, having been outfoxed and thoroughly outplayed by a much sharper and more collective display by Murat Yakin’s side. England likely await them in the quarter-finals next weekend and they’ll fancy their chances there too.
Speaking of 2-0 scorelines, longtime Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel made seven saves and drew comparisons to illustrious father Peter, but couldn’t stop his plucky Denmark teammates from being eliminated by hosts Germany, as Kai Havertz’s penalty and a smart Jamal Musiala finish put them to the sword in the second-half on a night they rued their lack of luck.
Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund was denied at point-blank range by an onrushing Manuel Neuer on the stroke of half-time, while Joachim Andersen had a goal disallowed minutes after the restart for a marginal offside.
VAR intervened and instructed referee Michael Oliver to check the pitchside monitor minutes later, David Raum belatedly winning a penalty for handball after his cross hit Andersen – and the tie turned after Havertz calmly slotted into the bottom corner.
Andersen’s bemused reaction said it all, Denmark now chasing a game they could’ve conceivably been leading, and that feeling was only heightened following contrasting levels of composure in the area by Hojlund and Musiala 10 minutes apart.
Euro 2024 Quarterfinals
Switzerland vs. England or Slovakia
Germany vs. Spain or Georgia
Picture source: Getty Images
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