Germany and Switzerland faced each other in the most decisive match of the last date of group A of Euro 2024 and although it seemed that the Germans were going to win, they surprisingly ended up drawing 1-1 in the agony. Both qualified, but with the hosts leading.
The hosts began to take control of the match and although they scored the first goal in the 17th minute, the VAR annulled Robert Andrich’s play due to a previous foul. Germany was celebrating, but Daniele Orsato along with his assistants confirmed the non-scoring.
That non-goal was an extra oxygen for Switzerland, who from there managed to close spaces and have a little more prominence in the game, a tactic that worked for them, as they managed to surprise the hosts almost half an hour into the game.
Remo Freuler was the one who started the play and managed to connect with Dan Ndoye, who was in charge of beating the goal defended by Manuel Neuer. The ball entered from above and although the action seemed fair, the referee declared it 1-0 when he was authorized.
Germany disappeared after the goal and it seemed that they were not hosts, as they failed to reach the Swiss goal with intensity, so the minimal difference remained at the end of the first half.
For the second half, Germany was expected to wake up and although they initially tried to create danger with Jamal Musiala and Iklay Gundogan, the finish was not decisive, as they failed in their shots.
Julian Nagelsmann’s changes were immediate and he had to use several boosters such as Maximilian Beier, Nico Schlotterbeck and David Raum, who aspired to be the goal solution, but were not the key to the comeback.
Switzerland also made substitutions, but it was all in order to maintain the advantage and try to counterattack. That style worked for them, managing to erase the Germans’ game for several minutes.
The still ball was Germany’s main weapon, which did not see how else to do damage, but that was not enough to at least leave with the tie that would allow them to be leaders in their zone.
Switzerland became strong in the final stretch and although Germany maintained the intention of tying, it never came, although the Swiss’s second could have been in the 83rd minute, but Ruben Vargas was clearly ahead.
Germany is always Germany and never give up on them, because in the 90+2 minute after a corner kick, the Germans managed to equalize with Niclas Füllkrug, who saved the score against the Swiss. That goal ended up saving them from defeat and they were leaders of group A.
