Niclas Fullkrug’s dramatic stoppage-time equaliser prevented Switzerland from pulling off a shock victory against Euro 2024 hosts Germany as the sides drew 1-1 in Frankfurt on Sunday.
In the other game in Group A, Hungary knocked Scotland out of the tournament with a winner in the 10th minute of stoppage time in a game delayed by a serious injury to Hungarian striker Barnabas Varga.
Varga had to be carried from the pitch on a stretcher, shielded by players and medical staff holding sheets around him, after a collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Hungarian officials later confirmed that he was conscious and in a stable condition in hospital.
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Scotland, however, will feel aggrieved that what looked like a clear foul by Hungary defender Willi Orban on Stuart Armstrong in the box did not result in a penalty.
In the top-of-the-table encounter, Borussia Dortmund striker Fullkrug’s header in the 92nd minute meant Germany topped the group on seven points, with the Swiss finishing in second spot on five points.
Germany thought they had taken the lead in the 17th minute at the Frankfurt Arena when Robert Andrich beat keeper Yann Sommer with a strike from 25 yards before VAR chalked the goal off for a foul by Jamal Musiala in the build-up.
Then, in the 28th minute, Switzerland went ahead as Bologna’s Dan Ndoye met a cross from Remo Freuler with a spectacular volleyed finish.
Germany missed a string of chances before the Swiss thought they had gone two-nil up through Ruben Vargas but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Keeper Manuel Neuer then kept Germany in it with a fine save to keep out a curling effort from Granit Xhaka, and shortly afterwards they found the moment they had been looking for.
Two minutes into time added on, David Raum sent in a fine cross from the left and fellow substitute Fullkrug met it with a perfect header into the corner of the net.
The leveller kept Germany top of the group and prevented a result that could have had major repercussions for the knockout stages of the tournament.
In the other match in the group, Scotland lost 1-0 to Hungary in a game interrupted by Varga’s injury at the Stuttgart Arena.
In what was the first competitive clash between the two sides, the Scots had a penalty claim turned down for a challenge on substitute Armstrong in the second half, although Hungary twice hit woodwork and missed several chances.
Scotland have still never qualified for the knockout stages of a major competition and in a second successive Euros, Steve Clarke’s men have finished bottom of the table having secured only one point.
Hungary finished on three points and will have to wait on other results to find out whether they have done enough to progress.
Scotland manager Clarke told the BBC afterwards: “The goal comes as a consequence of us trying to win the game.
“The goal is almost irrelevant. The moment for me was the penalty. It was 100 per cent a penalty. Someone has to explain to me why it wasn’t a penalty because otherwise I’m thinking there’s something wrong.
“I don’t understand how VAR can look at that and say it’s not a penalty.”
Scotland captain Andy Robertson said: “There’s nothing really to say to be honest. We gave it everything.
“We knew we had to win this game, and they’ve hit us on the counter-attack. It could have gone either way, but that’s football – that’s how it goes. It will take a long time to get over this one.
“We did go for it, but we got sucker-punched. A draw wasn’t going to be enough realistically.”
Updated: June 23, 2024, 10:19 PM