Football News: Scotland Gears Up for Thrilling Euro 2024 Opener Against Host Germany
The highly anticipated Euro 2024 tournament is finally upon us, and Scotland will have the honor of kicking things off against host nation Germany on Friday. Steve Clarke’s side have secured their second consecutive European Championship appearance, ending a 24-year wait to reach this stage.
With a tough group to navigate, there is a sense of cautious optimism surrounding the Tartan Army. While Germany stand out as the clear favorites, Scotland will be eager to pull off a shock result and make history as the first Scottish team to advance beyond the group phase.
“Germany tend to struggle against deep-lying defensive teams, recently they struggled against Greece and Ukraine but showed up against France and the Netherlands. Overall they should beat Scotland, though,” said Mario Krischel of Kicker.
However, talkSPORT’s Chief Football Correspondent Alex Crook believes the Germans may lack confidence, with Leroy Sane’s form dropping off and Kai Havertz leading the line, raising questions about their goal-scoring potential.
Former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger is hopeful for Scotland, stating, “McGinn might score a couple of goals, I wish him the best of luck but only if Germany scores one more.”
talkSPORT host Simon Jordan echoed this sentiment, noting, “They’ve got players that are doing well in the Premier League, John McGinn being one of them.”
The group also features Hungary, who were flawless in qualifying and will be looking to cause further upsets, according to European football journalist Andy Brassell.
“They go into this tournament thinking ‘we are qualifying from this group’,” Brassell said, highlighting the Hungarians’ strong recent form, including wins over England in the Nations League.
As Scotland aim to finally reach the knockout stage, talkSPORT hosts and pundits are divided on their chances. Some, like Jeff Stelling, believe they will progress, while others, like Darren Bent, are doubtful.
Regardless of the predictions, one thing is certain: Scotland will be eager to seize the opportunity and make their mark on the European stage. The clash with Germany on Friday, June 14th, will be a must-watch encounter, live on talkSPORT.
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