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Main man McTominay delivers for Scotland
Scott McTominay’s goal – his eighth in his last 14 appearances for the national team – was the headline moment in the spirited 1-1 draw with Switzerland, which kept Scotland’s Euro 2024 knockout hopes alive. The Manchester United midfielder delivered an excellent all-round performance, driving the team forward, taking twice as many shots as any of his teammates, and ranking top for touches in the opposition box. His close marking of Granit Xhaka was also crucial in limiting the Swiss captain’s influence. If Scotland are to overcome Hungary and secure a coveted knockout place on Sunday in Stuttgart, they will need their main man McTominay to deliver again.
Sylvinho and awesome Albania are flourishing
Albania, led by their talented manager Sylvinho, have exceeded expectations at the Euro 2024 tournament. The former Arsenal and Barcelona full-back, who was awarded honorary Albanian citizenship for his work, has set up the team to cause problems for their opponents. Their spirited 2-2 draw against Croatia, in which they seized upon the ageing Croatian defense with counter-attacking pace and purpose, was a testament to Sylvinho’s coaching acumen. The Albania manager’s performance has caught the attention of clubs, and he could be in line for a move to the elite of European football.
Croatia show more signs of waning golden generation
Croatia’s match against Albania was expected to be their easiest in Group B, but it proved anything but. While they showed flashes of their quality in the second half, with Andrej Kramaric and Luka Sucic impressing, their defensive issues were a major concern. The shuffling of the back-line by manager Zlatko Dalic did not work, and they struggled to handle Albania’s counter-attacking threat. As the likes of Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic near the end of their international careers, Croatia are transitioning into a new era. Maintaining the success of the last few tournaments will be a fine and difficult balance to strike for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finalists.
Hungary impress in narrow defeat
Despite their 2-0 loss to Germany, Hungary can take heart from their performance. They had 11 shots, the most Germany have faced in a European Championship group-stage fixture since 2012. Roland Sallai’s equaliser was ruled out for offside, and Barnabas Varga missed a good chance to level the scores in the second half. Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi impressed, keeping the score down in the closing stages, before Joshua Kimmich’s goal-line clearance denied them a late consolation. Hungary can be proud of their efforts against the four-time world champions.
Gundogan offers reminder of his class
Ilkay Gundogan’s display in Germany’s 2-0 win over Hungary was a reminder of the quality he possesses. The 33-year-old, who joined Barcelona from Manchester City last summer, repurposed as a No. 10 by Julian Nagelsmann, scored one goal and created the other. Gundogan’s ability to both score and create makes him a crucial player for Germany, who are bidding to win their fifth European Championship title. If they are to achieve that feat, the former City midfielder will be a key figure.
Switzerland’s Ndoye catching the eye
Dan Ndoye, the 23-year-old Swiss forward, was a constant threat in his team’s 1-1 draw with Scotland. Despite only managing two goals in 34 games for Bologna last season, Ndoye showcased his pace, power, and movement, going close to scoring on multiple occasions. With Switzerland all but certain to feature in the Euro 2024 knockout stages, having taken four points from their first two games in Group A, Ndoye is a player to watch as the tournament progresses.
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