Germany found a stoppage-time goal from substitute Niclas Fullkrug to draw 1-1 with Switzerland on Sunday and ensure the host nation finished top of its group.
Fullkrug rose high in a crowded penalty area to head into the far corner of the net past Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer from a cross by another substitute, David Raum.
Switzerland had impressed while protecting a 28th-minute goal from Dan Ndoye’s clever volleyed shot.
The point for each team ensured Germany finished top and Switzerland second in Group A. Hungary took third place in the standings with an even later stoppage-time goal to beat Scotland 1-0 in Stuttgart.
Germany now goes to Dortmund for a round of 16 game Saturday against the runner-up in Group C, which is currently led by England. Germany’s opponent would be Denmark according to the current standings before the final round of Group C games on Tuesday.
Switzerland heads to the Olympic Stadium in Berlin to open the round of 16 on Saturday against the runner-up in Group B, likely Italy or Croatia. They meet Monday in their decisive group game.
Switzerland’s goal was made in Bologna, the upstart Italian club that has qualified for its first Champions League entry next season.
Ndoye timed his run to meet a floated pass across the goalmouth from his Bologna teammate Remo Freuler. The attack began when Fabian Rieder, making his first start since the 2022 World Cup, won the ball in the German half and then fed Freuler.
Hungary beats Scotland with late goal
A dramatic stoppage-time goal saw Hungary beat Scotland 1-0 to wreck its opponent’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time in its history.
Late substitute Kevin Csoboth scored his first international goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time to see Hungary secure third spot in Group A, behind first-place Germany and Switzerland.
Hungary now faces an anxious wait to see if its three points will be enough to reach the round of 16 at Euro 2024 as one of the four best third-place teams. It might not find out until Wednesday when the final round of group games finishes.
Albania’s Daku suspended 2 games
Albania player Mirlind Daku was banned on Sunday for two games after leading fans in nationalist chants after this team’s 2-2 draw with Croatia. The incidents and fallout from the game in Hamburg have been the most serious involving Balkan politics at a Euros with the most-ever teams from the region playing — and offering a stage for some fans to air its issues. UEFA also ordered the Albanian soccer federation to pay fines totalling $70,000 Cdn for incidents at the game where its fans chanted an anti-Serb slogan, reportedly “Kill the Serbs.”
