Scotland thrashed by Germany in opening match of Euro 2024
Scotland have suffered a horror start at Euro 2024 with a 5-1 thumping by Germany in the tournament’s opening match.
They had a big hill to climb from early on after an opener from Florian Wirtz in the 10th minute was followed by a second from Jamal Musiala.
Musiala, who had a great opening match, slammed the ball into the roof of the net to significantly dampen the spirits of the Tartan Army.
It went from bad to worse when Ryan Porteous was sent off for fouling Ilkay Gundogan in the box just before half-time – with Arsenal’s Kai Havertz converting the penalty.
Jamal Musiala scored a cracking second goal for Germany
Scotland’s Ryan Porteous was sent off for fouling Ilkay Gundogan
Manchester United legend Roy Keane savaged Scotland as being “out of their depth”, saying “the difference in quality was chalk and cheese”.
“Robertson said Scotland weren’t aggressive enough – you have to be aggressive in a game of football,” said Keane on ITV.
“When you’re up against opposition who are much stronger than you, being aggressive is part of being a footballer.”
Germany were equally dominant after the break and Niclas Fullkrug added another to make it 4-0.
There was a sliver of consolation as an Antonio Rudiger own goal in the 87th minute gave Scotland fans a brief moment of celebration.
However, Emre Can struck in stoppage time to make it 5-1 – the worst opening match defeat ever in the Euros.
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Quality of Scottish football exposed
A brutal reality check for Scotland.
A 5-1 thumping by Germany isn’t terminal for their hopes of making it into the Euro 2024 knockout phase.
Even just winning one of their remaining Group A games against Switzerland or Hungary could be enough to stay in Germany – but the quality of Scottish football was exposed by the hosts.
You could see in Munich why Scotland’s squad is valued at £175m and Germany’s would cost £700m to assemble, according to the player valuation trackers at Transfermarkt.
Maybe holding out for 10 minutes before conceding was the only surprise.
The Scots were suffocated from the start by a Germany side enjoying the benefits of home comforts in Munich.
The visiting defence just couldn’t cope before Florian Wirtz’s opener and goalkeeper Angus Gunn couldn’t stop the power of Jamal Musiala’s strike after 19 minutes.
There was one VAR penalty reprieve, but not another when Ryan Porteous was sent off for a lunging tackle. How did he think he could get away with that with VAR?
At least there was clarity in the stadium with decisions explained in details on screens for the first time at a major tournament.
That was one frustration for fans removed. But this was the most frustrating of nights for Scotland.
The penalty conceded by Porteous was converted by Kai Havertz leaving a 3-0 deficit at half-time.
The only comfort for Scotland was limiting the damage in the second half to two goals.
Scotland also managed to score the first time in the opening game at a Euros thanks to Antonio Rudiger deflecting Scott McKenna’s header into his own goal.
But in the game’s dying moments even that consolation was snatched away as a rampant German side made it 5-1.
So one good omen, perhaps? Two games to find their way out of the group stage.
It was an error-strewn showing for Scotland, who will have to vastly improve in the next matches against Hungary and Switzerland.
Captain Andy Roberts called it “hugely disappointing” and admitted the team “didn’t really show up”.
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Fans still positive as Germany crush Scotland
He said they could be angry tomorrow but must “bounce back quickly” for Wednesday’s match.
“We have to dust ourselves down, we’ve got five days to sort ourselves out and go again against Switzerland,” said Robertson.
Sombre-looking manager Steve Clarke said the players were poor both with and without the ball.
Kieran Tierney and Jack Hendry looked dejected after the thrashing. Pic: Reuters
But he said “what we need to do is still in front of us”.
Ally McCoist praised fantastic strikes by Germany’s Fulkrug and Musiala – and said Scotland needed “more belief” if they are to get anywhere in the competition.
The suspended surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge has been named as paediatric consultant Kuldeep Stohr.
Eight hundred patients operated on by Ms Stohr are having their cases urgently re-examined, after an external review found nine children whose care fell below expected standards.
The initial review was ordered after concerns were raised by her colleagues.
Sky News has seen a copy of the interim report which details several issues relating to complex hip surgeries performed by the surgeon.
One of the parents whose child was identified in the review showed us a recent letter from the hospital which reported “problems with both judgement and technique” in her child’s surgery.
Ms Stohr, who has been suspended since the end of January, said in a statement: “I always strive to provide the highest standards of care to all my patients.
“I am co-operating fully with the trust investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
Tammy Harrison: ‘It was hell’
Left in agonising pain
Tammy Harrison, 12, has cerebral palsy and had surgeries carried out by Ms Stohr. Her operations didn’t work, leaving her in agonising pain.
She said: “My first one was just like trauma. I couldn’t get out of bed for eight weeks. I was either stuck in bed or stuck on the sofa. It was hell.”
Her mum, Lynn, told Sky News: “There is nothing that can put Tammy back to where she was now and that’s the sad thing.
“If I could just click my fingers and have the child back that I had I would do it with a blink of an eye.”
Ms Stohr operated on Lynn Harrison’s daughter
So far, there’s been no confirmation of any wrongdoing in Tammy’s care.
But her family have a meeting at the hospital this week to find out more.
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The trust has asked a panel of specialist clinicians to review all the planned operations carried out by Ms Stohr at Addenbrooke’s. One hundred emergency trauma cases will also be looked at.
Addenbrooke’s is a major regional trauma centre and treats serious emergency patients from all over the region.
One clinician at the hospital told Sky News that the review of so many patients was “creating a lot of extra work”, which was “slowing things down” for other patients awaiting treatment.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital. File pic: PA
At least one extra locum consultant has been helping the team, as they work through the caseload.
Trust apologises
Sky News has been told Cambridge University Hospitals Trust had wanted to identify Ms Stohr before but had been threatened with a legal injunction.
The trust has apologised unreservedly to families and patients. But what’s troubling many is the fact concerns were raised about Ms Stohr a decade ago.
Chief executive of Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Roland Sinker, has set up another review to examine whether opportunities were missed, and action could have been taken sooner.
The Department of Health described the ongoing situation as “incredibly concerning.”
Sir Keir Starmer promised “bold changes” as he announced he will relax rules around electric vehicles after carmakers were hit by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The prime minister said “global trade is being transformed” after the US president‘s 25% levy on imported cars, and 10% tariff on other products, came into force.
Jaguar Land Rover has said the firm will “pause” shipments to the US as it looks to “address the new trading terms”.
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Labour made a manifesto pledge to restore a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after it had been rolled back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government.
Starmer promises to ‘back British business’. Pic: Reuters
Sir Keir will officially confirm the ban in an announcement on Monday but regulations around manufacturing targets on electric cars and vans will be altered, to help firms in the transition.
Luxury supercar firms such as Aston Martin and McLaren will still be allowed to keep producing petrol cars beyond the 2030 date, because they only manufacture a small number of vehicles per year.
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‘Nothing off the table’ over tariffs
Petrol and diesel vans will also be allowed to be sold until 2035, along with hybrids and plug-in hybrid cars.
The government is also going to make it easier for manufacturers who do not comply with the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which sets sales targets, to avoid fines, and the levies will be reduced.
Sir Keir said: “I am determined to back British brilliance.
“Now more than ever UK businesses and working people need a government that steps up, not stands aside.
“That means action, not words.”
Officials have said support for the car industry will continue to be kept under review as the full impact of the tariffs announced last week becomes clear.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the industry deserves “clarity” in the economic context.
She said: “Our ambitious package of strengthening reforms will protect and create jobs, making the UK a global automotive leader in the switch to EVs, all the while meeting our core manifesto commitment to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.”
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Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said the government had “recognised the intense pressure manufacturers are under”, while Colin Walker, a transport analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said the ZEV mandate is a “global success story” in driving a surge in sales of electric vehicles.
It comes as KPMG warned US tariffs on UK exports could see GDP growth fall to 0.8% in 2025 and 2026.
The accountancy firm said higher tariffs on specific categories, such as cars, aluminium and steel, would more than offset the exemption on pharmaceutical exports, leaving the effective tariffs imposed on UK exports at around 12%.
Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said: “Given the economic impact that tariffs would cause, there is a strong incentive to seek a negotiated settlement that diminishes the need for tariffs. The UK automotive manufacturing sector is particularly exposed given the complex supply chains of some producers.”
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