Gundogan

Havana, Jun 20 (JIT) - On Wednesday, Germany became the first team to qualify for the round of 16 of the 2024 European Football Championship, of which it is the host.

The 2-0 victory over Hungary cost them much more effort than expected, but that did not change the outcome, especially because they have stars like Gündogan, capable of putting the whole team on their shoulders to overcome any contingency.

The Magyars offered more resistance than expected, after the devastating display of the Germans against Scotland, especially because they understood that there is no demerit in waiting in the back and taking advantage of the spaces to counterattack.

The difficulties of the locals to break the defensive solidity of the rival were not solved with a sledgehammer and chisel, but with a fine brush, the one that Gündogan found in the 21st minute to draw a goal pass to the young Jamal Musiala.

Controversy arose, but the VAR confirmed the advantage by finding no offside in the play. Before the break, the same video referee ruled out Sallai's goal, which would have meant the equalizer, on the grounds of an infringing position.

The fact showed that the Hungarians had the weapons to do some damage and pushed the Teutonic machine, which did not find peace of mind until minute 66' with Mittelstadt's cross that Gündogan himself, the hallmark of the winners, sent into the net.

The Mannschaft reached six points and, with one round to go, secured at least the second place in Group A, although the plans are not to relinquish the leadership.

Later on, Scotland and Switzerland were held to a draw that left them with a chance of advancing from the same group, considering that the first team closes the qualifying round against Hungary -without many options-, and the Swiss, with four points, could survive even if they lose to Germany.

The match was just as calculated. It even seemed as if favors were being returned, as Schar deflected a Scott McTominay shot into the back of his net in the 13th minute, and Anthony Ralston gave the ball to Shaqiri for the equalizer in the 26th minute.

If the second half was not a soporific spectacle, it was due to the few skirmishes in the plot, such as Hanley's shot against the post and a goal disallowed to Embolo for offside.

In the first hour Croatia crashed against a bold Albania, which had already scored the fastest goal in the history of the European Championships in the opening match against Italy, and scored first again, now in the ninth minute, through Qazim Laci.

The Red and Blacks deserved to go into the break with a bigger lead, but they failed to convert the chances they created in front of the Croatian goal, and their determination alone did not guarantee them the prize.

Vatreni suffered until the 73rd minute, when Kramaric took advantage of Ante Budimir's assist to equalize. The Osasuna player had been on the pitch for five minutes when he set up the Hoffenheim man.

Barely another two minutes elapsed before the same Budimir raced down the flank and played a killer pass to Pasalic, which Klaus Gjasula put through his own net.

A bucket of cold water then fell on the Albanians, but they shook it off and never stopped believing, despite seeing a lead that should have been wider crumble.

They did not let their hands down and Gjasula himself found the way to exonerate the own goal with a loose ball inside the Croatian box that he sent into the back of the net in the fourth minute added on. Thus, he returned to the scoreboard a draw that was of little use to his team, nor to the opponents.