Germany Thump Scotland 5-1 in Euro 2024 Opener

Germany's emphatic 5-1 victory over Scotland in their Euro 2024 opener has ignited optimism among the hosts, but coach Julian Nagelsmann remains grounded, emphasizing that it was merely a "first step" in their quest for a record-breaking fourth European title.

Nagelsmann acknowledged the team's awareness that the victory was just the beginning of their tournament journey. "The team is conscious that this was a first step," he said. "But it was very good and very important and was something that we can build on."

Germany's dominance was evident from the outset, with Florian Wirtz opening the scoring within 10 minutes. Jamal Musiala, who was named man-of-the-match, doubled the lead shortly after. Kai Havertz converted a penalty to give Germany a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime, after Scotland's Ryan Porteous was sent off for a reckless challenge on Ilkay Gundogan.

Niclas Fuellkrug and Emre Can added further goals in the second half, completing Germany's comprehensive victory. Nagelsmann expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance, particularly their reaction to conceding a late goal while 4-0 up.

"We didn't let in any chances from open play," he said. "It was a very good sign for the team to be so pissed off that we conceded that goal. That shows the hunger that they had today."

Havertz, who set up Musiala's goal and scored from the spot, echoed Nagelsmann's sentiments, emphasizing that the victory was a statement of intent. "I think that when you win 5-1, it's a message," he said. "But it's just the beginning. We saw the quality we have in the team, how good the players are. We're going to come up against other difficult opponents."

With four goals in his last seven Germany appearances, Havertz has emerged as a key figure for the hosts. He acknowledged the support of the home crowd, saying, "We felt this energy in the stadium from the first minute. The whole country is behind us, we saw it at the training center. We're aware of it."

As Germany prepares for their next match, Nagelsmann remains focused on the task ahead. "We have to stay humble," he said. "We have to work hard and we have to improve. We have to be ready for the next game."

Tags: #Euro2024, #Germany, #Scotland, #JulianNagelsmann, #JamalMusiala