Scotland endured a nightmare start to their Euro 2024 campaign as Germany ran riot in a 5-1 win in the opening match of the tournament.
The German front-line did the damage, with Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala setting the tone within 20 minutes, before Kai Havertz added a third from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time, as Ryan Porteous was sent off to make a difficult Scottish task an impossible one.
The Arsenal strike was withdrawn just after the hour mark by Niclas Fullkrug, who wasted little time in lashing a strike into the top corner for Germany’s fourth. Scotland barely made it out of their own half, but did lift the spirits of their travelling fans late on, when Antonio Rudiger turned into his own net from a Scott McKenna header, only for Emre Can to add a fifth for Germany with the final kick of the match.
It was a damaging start to Scotland’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time, but matches against Hungary and Switzerland were always likely to prove the defining encounters.
The Tartan Army descended on Munich in huge numbers and played their part in an incredible atmosphere at the Allianz Arena, but the Scotland players fell flat on the big stage as the result was effectively sealed by half-time.
Wirtz opened the scoring inside ten minutes, sweeping a first-time finish into the bottom corner when Angus Gunn should have done better, and Musiala then doubled the advantage, lashing into the top corner after good work from Havertz.
Musiala was brought down in the box as Germany thought they had a penalty, and while a VAR review saved Scotland on that occasion, it did not do just before the break. Porteous lunged in on Ilkay Gundogan inside the area, caught him high and, after another review, was sent off as the referee returned from the monitor to point to the spot.
Havertz stepped up and cooly rolled in the finish from the spot-kick, leaving Scotland a man and three goals down by half-time.
Che Adams was withdrawn at the break to be replaced by defender Grant Hanley, as Clarke made his vision for the second-half clear, and Scotland did at least keep the hosts at bay for 20 minutes.
But the fourth did not ever feel far away, with Musiala in sensational form and a series of last-ditch blocks required from the Scottish defence. Gundogan made the run into the area, he could not take the ball in his stride but it bobbled into the path of Fullkrug, who emphatically hammered beyond the helpless Gunn.
Scotland attempted to avoid further punishment in the closing stages and with a couple of minutes remaining gave the Tartan Army something to celebrate. McKenna nodded a free-kick back into the middle, with the ball bouncing off Rudiger’s head, looping over Manuel Neuer and into the net in front of the travelling support.
That raised the spirits but Germany ensured they had the final say, as Can, a late addition to the squad on the eve of the tournament, found the bottom corner from the edge of the area, sealing a statement result and performance for the ruthless hosts.
