Julian Nagelsmann's team made history with a 5-1 victory over Scotland on the opening day, while Hungary suffered a 3-1 loss to Switzerland. Germany's dominant performance against Scotland, which took place at the Allianz Arena, marked the biggest opening win in the history of the men's European Championships. Young stars Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala helped establish an early lead, and Kai Havertz added another goal from a penalty after a foul on Ilkay Gundogan.
Despite an own goal by Antonio Rudiger extending Germany's streak without a clean sheet at major tournaments to 13 matches, late goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can secured a convincing win for the hosts. Germany now sits at the top of Group A, ahead of Switzerland on goal difference. A win on Wednesday will confirm Germany's top-two finish, as even a Scottish victory over Switzerland wouldn't be enough to surpass them due to head-to-head records.
Nagelsmann's tenure started off slowly, but Germany is now on a five-match unbeaten run, with four victories. They are eager to continue this momentum against Hungary, a team that has caused them trouble in recent encounters. Winning their first two matches at the European Championships would be a rare achievement for Germany, having done so only four times before—in 1972, 1980, 1996, and 2012, with 2012 being the only time they didn't win the tournament.
Hungary, on the other hand, last faced Germany in a 2-2 draw during the Euro 2020 group stage and managed to take four points from them in the recent Nations League, including a notable 1-0 win in September 2022, thanks to a goal from Adam Szalai. Szalai, now retired, was missed in Hungary's 3-1 loss to Switzerland, where they struggled despite a brief comeback effort.
Currently third in Group A, Hungary's hopes of advancing depend on their performance against Germany. They are level with Scotland on points but ahead on goal difference. Hungary hasn't won in their last seven Euro matches since beating Austria in 2016 and has only lost more than one game in a single tournament once, in 1972.
Despite their recent struggles, Hungary has only lost twice in their last 17 matches across all competitions, both losses occurring this month. However, their 12-match scoring streak offers a glimmer of hope for their fans.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Germany had an almost perfect evening against Scotland, with none of Nagelsmann's players picking up any injuries. Fans and neutrals alike were relieved to see Gundogan emerge unscathed from Porteous's nasty tackle, which caught him on the ankle with full force.In his pre-game press conference, Nagelsmann confirmed that everyone is fit and available for the second match. He emphasized the importance of in-game changes, which could once again be crucial for their hopes of another big win.
Gundogan is expected to be part of an unchanged starting lineup, working alongside man-of-the-match Musiala and young star Wirtz, who recently became the youngest German to score at the European Championships.
However, Robert Andrich and Jonathan Tah, who were both booked against Scotland, risk missing the final group game against Switzerland if they pick up another yellow card on Wednesday. This might not be a major issue if Germany has already secured their spot in the knockout stages.
On the Hungarian side, head coach Marco Rossi couldn't call on Loic Nego or Callum Styles for the loss to Switzerland due to fitness concerns. While Styles is expected to be available, Nego remains sidelined. Additionally, 22-year-old defender Botond Balogh is out after injuring his ankle in practice.
Despite Nego's absence, Rossi might opt for Bendeguz Bolla or Endre Botka on the right side, after starting 34-year-old Attila Fiola in the opener. Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai, now the youngest male captain in Euros history, was visibly frustrated in the last match but managed to assist Varga's goal. He is set to earn his 44th cap in this game.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Germany possible starting lineup:Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Rudiger, Mittelstadt; Andrich, Kroos; Musiala, Gundogan, Wirtz; Havertz
Hungary possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Orban, Lang, Szalai; Bolla, Nagy, Schafer, Kerkez; Sallai, Szoboszlai; Varga
EXPERT PREDICTION
Germany 4-2 Hungary
As Hungary's game against Switzerland progressed, Rossi's team came to life a bit too late, already suffering the brunt of the damage. They showed some threat from crosses, similar to how Scotland managed to get their consolation goal against Germany on Friday.
Despite Hungary's late efforts and the historical challenges in this matchup, Germany's formidable attacking lineup is expected to overpower the Magyars. Nagelsmann's side should comfortably secure the victory they need to advance to the knockout stages.
