Germany impresses in 4-2 win over Portugal
MUNICH (Reuters) - Three-times European champions Germany shrugged off their opening game loss and announced their arrival as serious contenders at Euro 2020 with an emphatic 4-2 win over highly-rated Portugal in their Group F match on Saturday.
The Germans had been beaten by world champions France in their opener prompting serious questions over their ability to make a challenge in this tournament but Joachim Loew’s side responded to the pressure with an outstanding performance.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given the defending champions a 15th minute lead with his 107th international strike but Germany went in at the break 2-1 up thanks to own goals from Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro.
The Germans turned on the style in the second half with efforts from Kai Havertz and the impressive Robin Gosens making it 4-1 before Diogo Jota pulled a goal back for Portugal.
The result throws the ‘Group of Death’ wide-open. Germany, who face Hungary in their final game in Munich, move into second place in the group on three points, a point behind leaders France and level on points with the Portuguese. Hungary drew 1-1 with France earlier on Saturday.
It was not merely the result that suggested some pundits were wrong to write off Germany – the fluency of their passing, the killer crosses and the intelligent running was a reminder of the enduring qualities of German football that has delivered so much success on the biggest stages.
Despite a 3-0 win over Hungary in their opening game, Portugal’s progress to the last 16 is not secure and they need to take something from their final game against France in Budapest.
In Seville, Spain striker Alvaro Morata’s first-half goal was canceled out by a Robert Lewandowski strike for Poland in a 1-1 draw that ensured all four Group E teams can still qualify as they head into Wednesday’s final round of matches.
Morata broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, pouncing to sweep home Gerard Moreno’s driven ball into the box and, though a linesman’s flag for offside delayed the celebrations, the goal was awarded following a VAR review.
Lewandowski equalized with a towering header from Kamil Jozwiak’s cross in the 54th minute and four minutes later a Moreno penalty came cannoning off the left-hand post, with Morata missing the rebound and several more second-half chances.
The draw leaves Sweden top of Group E on four points, with Slovakia second with three, Spain third on two points and the Poles bottom with one.
In Budapest, world champions France struggled to impose themselves in their 1-1 Euro 2020 draw against Hungary in part, due to facing a hostile crowd for the first time in months, goalscorer Antoine Griezmann said.
France rescued a point after Griezmann canceled out Attila Fiola’s first half strike in front of a 65,000-strong crowd at the Puskas Arena – one of the biggest at a game in Europe since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.