EUROPEAN champions Portugal are taking on 2014 World Cup winners Germany as they look to escape the ‘Group of Death’ this evening.
The two sides have been pitted against world champions France and tournament co-hosts Hungary as they look to make the last 16.
- Kick-off: 5pm BST
- TV/ live stream: ITV 1/ ITV Hub.
- Portugal XI: R Patricio; Semedo, Pepe, R Dias, Guerreiro; Pereira, Carvalho; B Silva, B Fernandes, Jota; Ronaldo.
- Germany XI: Neuer; Ginter, Hummels, Rudiger; Kimmich, Gundogan, Kross, Gosens; Havertz, Muller, Gnabry.
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PORTUGAL 0-0 GERMANY
7. Gnabry, in particular, has shown his quality inside the opening minutes of the game.
He really has flourished into one of the best wingers in world football.
It’s funny really. At one point he was deemed not good enough to play for West Brom….. WEST BROM!
PORTUGAL 0-0 GERMANY
5. Germany have started extremely fast here.
PORTUGAL 0-0 GERMANY
4. WAIT, NO GOAL!
Germany work the ball wide to the right-hand side.
A wonderful ball is delivered deep towards the far post, and Gosens sends the ball flying into the back of the net!
A wonderful acrobatic attempt by the German.
But VAR intervenes…… and Gnabry is penalised for being offside in the build-up.
0-0.
GOOOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!
WHAT A FINISH BY GOSENS!!!
GERMANY LEAD!!!
PORTUGAL 0-0 GERMANY
3. Good stuff from Germany.
PORTUGAL 0-0 GERMANY
2. Germany are maintaining possession well inside the opening minutes of the game.
They’re looking comfortable on the ball.
And if history is anything to go by, the Germans always perform well under pressure.
They’ll want to get a good result.
PORTUGAL 0-0 GERMANY
1. Germany get the game underway in Munich!
The ball is worked wide to Gosens on the left-hand side, and the ball is played down the line to Havertz.
The Champions League winner gets to the byline and cuts the ball back towards Gnabry on the penalty spot.
But Carvalho clears for the European champions.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
WE’RE OFF IN MUNICH!
HERE WE GO…….FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS!
HERE COME THE TEAMS
Both sets of players are making their way out onto the pitch ahead of kick-off!
Portugal leads out his Portugal team – defending European champions – and they’re wearing their famous red and green colours.
And legendary goalkeeper Neuer leads out Germany, who are desperate for a result.
Low has been manager of Germany for 15 years, but he will step down at the end of this tournament.
And his successor, former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick is in the stands watching.
Cue the national anthems……. Portugal’s is up first!
NOT LONG TO GOW
We’re just over ten minutes away from kick-off in Munich! Huge game.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES PORTUGAL TEAM GUIDE
Ronaldo kicked off Euro 2020 with two goals!
GERMANY TEAM GUIDE
Germany need their star men to turn up tonight and get a win.
Whoever finishes third in this group could still go through as four of one of the best 3rd placed teams.
TABLE CHECK
Earlier today, France fought back from a goal down to rescue a point in Budapest, Hungary.
A win for Germany tonight adds some spice to the final round of fixtures in the group.
And if Hungary turn up against Germany and perform how they did against Portugal and France, a shock could be on the cards!
RONALDO’S THOUGHTS
Here’s what star Ronaldo said ahead of the game: “The most important thing was the win.
“It was a difficult match against an opponent that defended well, but we managed to score three goals.
“I am very grateful to the squad that helped me score two goals, and win Player of the Game.
“It was fundamental to start on the right foot, to gain confidence. Now, we need to continue this. The next match [vs Germany] is to win.”
I am very grateful to the squad that helped me score two goals, and win Player of the Game.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Credit: GETTY IMAGES ‘I’M NOT AFRAID OF GERMANY’
Portugal boss Fernando Santos has said that he is not scared of Germany heading into tonight’s game.
He said: “”I’m not afraid of Germany at all. I think the two teams will respect each other because they know that on both sides there are powerful forces capable of deciding the game.
“To think that Portugal are favourites against Germany, playing in Germany, is crossing the line.
“If the players fell into that way of thinking, we wouldn’t even draw this game!”
MAJOR WOES
Germany have suffered three defeats in their last four group stage matches at major tournaments (EUROs + World Cup), as many as in their previous 24 group stage games (W16 D5).
They haven’t suffered consecutive defeats in the group stage at a major tournament since losing to England and Portugal at EURO 2000.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES GERMANY BENCH
3 Halstenberg, 9 Volland, 11 Werner, 12 Leno, 15 Sule, 17 Neuhaus, 18 Goretzka, 19 Sane, 22 Trapp, 23 Can, 24 Koch, 26 Gunter.
GERMANY XI
Low has picked a strong team to face defending European champions Portugal.
And it looks like he’s going with a 3-4-2-1, with Havertz and Muller playing behind the striker.
1 Neuer (c); 2 Rudiger, 5 Hummels, 4 Ginter; 20 Gosens, 8 Kroos, 21 Gundogan, 6 Kimmich; 25 Muller, 7 Havertz; 10 Gnabry.
PORTUGAL BENCH
6 Fonte, 8 Moutinho, 9 A.Silva, 12 Lopes, 15 Rafa, 16 Sanches, 17 Guedes, 18 Neves, 19 Goncalves, 20 Dalot, 22 Rui Silva, 26 Palhinha.
PORTUGAL XI
Manager Fermando Santos shapes up with a 4-2-3-1 with two defensive midfielders.
Lets see if they can turn in a good performance, compared to England who dropped an absolute stinker yesterday with two defensive-minded midfielders!
1 Patricio; 2 Semedo, 3 Pepe, 4 Dias, 5 Guerreiro; 13 Pereira, 14 Carvalho; 10 Silva, 11 Fernandes, 21 Jota; 7 Ronaldo (c).
THE TEAMSHEETS ARE IN!
GOOD FORM
Portugal have lost just two of their last 30 matches in all competitions (W19 D9), scoring 67 goals and conceding just 19 times across these matches.
Having won 4-0 against Israel and 3-0 against Hungary in their last two matches, they are looking to win three games in a row without conceding for the first time since November 2017 (four in a row).
MULLER’S THE MAN
Thomas Müller’s only hat-trick with the German national team was against Portugal, in the group stages of the 2014 World Cup.
However, Müller has never scored in 12 matches at the European Championship, attempting 27 shots without success.
ONE TO WATCH
Cristiano Ronaldo has never scored against Germany (4 games), despite attempting 23 shots in 360 minutes of action.
Only against France has the Portuguese forward played more times (6 games) for the national team without finding the back of the net.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES HEAD-TO-HEAD
Portugal’s last victory against Germany was in the group stages of Euro 2000 – a 3-0 win, courtesy of a Sergio Conceição hat-trick, the last time Germany have conceded 3+ goals by the same player in a major tournament game.
Since then, Germany have won their four meetings with Portugal, all at major tournaments (WC ‘06, Euro ‘08, Euro ‘12, WC ‘14).
This will be the fifth meeting between Portugal and Germany at the UEFA European Championship; only Italy and Spain have faced each other on more occasions in the tournament (6).
It will also be the sixth encounter between the two teams at major tournaments since Euro 2000 (4 at Euro, 2 at World Cup), the most between two European nations over that period.
The last five matches between Portugal and Germany have produced 17 goals, an average of 3.4 per match. Four of those five games have witnessed 3+ goals.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
