In the qualifiers, the Scottish team unexpectedly secured second place in their group behind Spain, knocking Norway and Erling Haaland out of contention. However, in the first-round match against the Euro hosts Germany, the “Tartan Army” failed to showcase their best qualities and suffered a crushing 1-5 defeat. It’s worth noting that in their recent matches, Scotland has been experiencing a defensive crisis. In their last five games, Steve Clarke’s team conceded 12 goals. Overall, in their last 10 matches, Scotland has only managed one victory against Gibraltar. Additionally, Scotland’s defender Porteous has been suspended for two Euro 2024 matches due to a red card received for a challenge on Gundogan during the game against Germany.
The “Neutrals,” unexpectedly for many, finished only second in their qualifying group, conceding the top spot to Romania. However, in the very first match of Euro 2024, Murat Yakin’s team showed their best side, confidently defeating a strong Hungarian team 3-1.
Switzerland started the match with a 4-3-3 formation, utilizing wingers to drive their attacks. Kwadwo Duah scored the first goal as early as the 12th minute, and Michel Aebischer doubled the advantage just before halftime. After the break, Hungary attempted to get back into the game and scored one goal. However, they couldn’t muster more, and Switzerland even brought themselves a third goal in stoppage time.
