Former Scotland striker Kris Boyd labelled his nation’s efficiency “embarrassing” after their 5-1 hammering by the hands of Germany within the Euro 2024 curtain raiser.
Scotland have been at all times up in opposition to it in opposition to the European Championship hosts, who got here into the event on the again of pleasant wins over France and the Netherlands.
Even so, lax defending and poor ball retention noticed Steve Clarke’s facet 2-0 down inside 20 minutes, with a 3rd netted earlier than the break from a Kai Havertz penalty as soon as Ryan Porteous had been despatched off for a rash problem on Ilkay Gungodan.
Scotland restored some satisfaction after half-time and would have drawn the second 45 minutes 1-1 earlier than Emre Can netted an injury-time fifth, however the harm was long-since finished.
“They were embarrassing,” Boyd advised Sky Sports activities Information. “They deserve huge credit score for getting there however we will not preserve attending to competitions and freezing. That is precisely what occurred.
“Germany have been excellent, however on the finish of the day you have to observe your runners, you have to stick with them and present extra confidence on the ball while you get it.
“I’d be astonished if Scotland had any more than 10 passes put together in any phase of play. At this level, if you’re going to get anything, that’s one thing you need to do.”
Jamal Musiala was named participant of the match because the Germany midfielder impressed on the worldwide stage once more, whereas Florian Wirtz capped his personal event debut with a wonderful opening objective, with Gundogan pulling the strings in midfield.
However Boyd felt Germany’s high quality was allowed to shine by Scotland’s static defending and stated Clarke’s facet should use the chastening defeat as a lesson forward of going through Switzerland in Cologne on Wednesday.
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It was a painful night for Sky Sports activities’ Kris Boyd as he watched Scotland concede 5 objectives to Germany of their Euro 2024 opener
“Scotland really struggled with the movement of the front players of Germany, albeit they were quality, and they switched off at key moments,” he stated.
“It’s been a bad night but there’s no doubt these players have given the feel-good factor back to the country and hopefully they can bounce back in the next two games, but it’s going to be very, very tough.
“Switzerland and Hungary aren’t going to be straightforward video games. You have to erase this outcome, it is finished now and you may’t have an effect on it now. What you are able to do is go and have a look at the subsequent two video games and attempt to trigger issues in them.
“Steve Clarke might be angry in himself but I don’t think he can take it out on the players because you don’t want to lose them, you need to ask them to go again on Wednesday.”
Clarke: We let ourselves down
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Steve Clarke admits his Scotland facet let themselves down of their 5-1 defeat to hosts Germany of their Euro 2024 opener
Supervisor Clarke, whose facet have solely overwhelmed Gibraltar of their final 9 video games, urged the Tartan Military to “keep the faith” regardless of the dispiriting opening defeat, after quite a few followers left the Allianz Enviornment lengthy earlier than the full-time whistle.
“It was a difficult night,” he admitted. “We didn’t play to our standard and I thought the German team were excellent.
“We’re disillusioned, we really feel as if we have let ourselves down. We’re higher than that and hopefully we will present that within the subsequent two video games.
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Steve Clarke shared a tense alternate with a journalist after Scotland misplaced 5-1 to Germany.
“This was always going to be a tough night to get something. We need four points from the next two games and that’s what we focus on.
Asked if it was his toughest night as Scotland manager, he added: “No, I’ve had powerful nights earlier than. I am going to recover from it.
“I’ve never ever doubted my players.”
Robertson: First half was ‘all improper’
Ryan Porteous was despatched off shortly earlier than half-time for his follow-through on Ilkay Gundogan
Captain Andy Robertson stated Germany’s first-half efficiency labored “a million times better” than Scotland’s throughout their painful drubbing in Munich.
“First half we got it all wrong,” the Liverpool defender advised ITV. “We didn’t really show up, weren’t aggressive enough. Let good players on the ball.
“They’d a sport plan, we did, and theirs labored one million occasions higher than ours.
“But it wasn’t because of the plan, it’s because we didn’t put it together on the pitch. When big occasions come like this, you have to do that.
“Second half, all the way down to 10 males, I believed we dug in effectively. We misplaced a sloppy objective late on, however we may’ve drawn the second half.
“It’s no consolation, though, we’re well backed over here. Today was hugely disappointing.”
