Euro 2024 daily recap: Germany advances to Round of 16; Croatia drops points late
Germany became the first team to punch its ticket to the Euro 2024 knockout round with a 2-0 win over Hungary at MHPArena in Stuttgart on Wednesday.
Here's a recap of everything that happened on the sixth day of Euro 2024, with stats from FOX Sports Research:
Croatia 2, Albania 2
- Albania scored two goals in a match at the Euros for the first time ever. This was also their first time ever scoring a goal in the second half of a match at the Euros.
- Croatia's starting XI had an average age of 30 years and one day old, their second-oldest ever for a game at a major tournament after their third-place game against the Netherlands at the 1998 World Cup.
- Andrej Kramarić scored his 29th goal for Croatia, moving into a tie for fourth all-time. Today is also his birthday, making him the third player to score on their birthday at the Euros after Jean-Francois Domergue and Wesley Sneijder.
- Klaus Gjasula is just the second-ever player to score both a goal and own goal in a game at the Euros after Anton Ondrus for Czechoslovakia against Netherlands in 1976.
- At 94 minutes and 23 seconds, Albania's Klaus Gjasula's goal to make it 2-2 was the latest equalizing goal scored in Euros history, excluding extra-time.
Croatia vs. Albania Highlights | UEFA Euro 2024
Germany 2, Hungary 0
- Germany has advanced to the Round of 16, guaranteeing at least a top-three finish in the group.
- Germany has won its first two group stage matches of a Euros tournament for the first time since 2012, and for the fourth time in total after 1980, 1996 and 2012.
- Germany became just the second team in Euros history to score seven goals in its first two games of the tournament, alongside the Netherlands in 2008. This is the most goals they've ever scored in the group stage in their Euros history.
- Jamal Musiala scored in back-to-back games for the first time for Germany; he only had two goals in first 29 caps for the national team.
- At 21 years and 114 days old, Musiala is now the second-youngest player in Euros history to score in each of their first two starts in the competition, behind only Hungary's Ferenc Bene (19 years and 186 days old in 1964). He is also the fifth-youngest player ever to score their second goal at the Euros (Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ferenc Bene, Mikkel Damsgaard).
- Ilkay Gündoğan scored and assisted in the same match for Germany for the first time since October 2019.
- Manuel Neuer made his 36th major tournament start, tying Paolo Maldini for the second most ever. He made his 17th appearance at the Euros, tied with Gianluigi Buffon for the most by a goalkeeper in Euros history.
Germany vs. Hungary Highlights | UEFA Euro 2024
Scotland 1, Switzerland 1
- Switzerland is now 0-6-5 (W-L-D) all-time at the Euros when conceding first.
- Xherdan Shaqiri is the first Swiss player to score in three different editions of the Euros; he was already the first to score in two. He also became the first MLS player ever to score at the Euros.
- Shaqiri is the only player to have scored in each of the last three Euros and each of the last three World Cups. He now has 10 goals at major tournaments, and has also become one of two players in Euros history to score at three editions of the Euros (Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored in five, is the other). Shaqiri is the seventh player with five goals at the Euros and five goals at the World Cup (Michel Platini, Jürgen Klinsmann, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku).
- Scotland is now 8-5-4 (W-L-D) all-time vs Switzerland, outscoring them 27 to 25 in those matches.
Scotland vs. Switzerland Highlights | UEFA Euro 2024
Goal of the Day
Assist of the Day: Ilkay Gundogan, Germany
Jamal Musiala was rightfully given credit for Germany's first goal, but Ilkay Gundogan's ability to control the ball off of the rebound, create separation from his defender and find Musiala at the center of the box led to the goal as much as Musiala's shot.
Save of the Day: Manuel Neuer, Germany
Even at 38 years old, Manuel Neuer is making acrobatic saves for Germany. He had three saves on the day.
Goal of the Day: Xherdan Shaqiri, Switzerland
Xherdan Shaqiri continued to build his legend as Switzerland's star man with arguably the goal of the tournament so far.
All stats courtesy of FOX Sports Research.
