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Germany won their opening game of a UEFA Nations League (UNL) campaign for the first time ever thanks to a 5-0 victory over Hungary in Dusseldorf. After coming out 2-0 victors at UEFA EURO 2024, Germany and Hungary locked horns again, with the Germans hoping for a similar outcome to kick-start their UNL campaign.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side nearly made the perfect start too when Jonathan Tah’s towering header was looping into the far corner, but a heroic goal-line clearance from Dominik Szoboszlai kept the scores level. Hungary had their backs against the wall throughout most of the first half and were again reliant on heroics when a swift Germany move involving Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, and Niclas Fullkrug ended with the latter firing an effort straight at Peter Gulacsi.
The West Ham United front man wasn’t to be denied twice though, tapping home from close range when he was afforded the simplest of tasks after Musiala unselfishly squared to him from inside the six-yard box. Germany’s attacks were relentless by this point, and only a lick of paint denied them a second goal when Kai Havertz headed Pascal Gross' cross onto the underside of the bar, but unfortunately for the Arsenal man, it bounced the wrong side of the line.
The game then hinged on one mad second-half minute shortly before the hour. Hungary looked like they were about to get back into the game when Bendegúz Bolla broke free inside the area and looked certain to fire home, but a last-ditch Robert Andrich block denied what would undoubtedly have been the equalizer. Such was the Hungarians’ luck though, from the resulting corner, Germany countered and doubled their advantage through Musiala, who had it all to do as he strode forward from the halfway line, but he retained his composure to fire past Gulacsi at his near post.
At 2-0, Hungary still harbored some hope of getting back into the game, but their chances were extinguished shortly after the hour mark when Wirtz arrowed home from the edge of the area, inching Germany closer to their biggest-ever UNL victory. The goal that secured that feat for them duly arrived not long after, as Musiala was again involved, this time threading a delicate ball through for Aleksandar Pavlovic, whose effort squirmed beneath Gulácsi for his first-ever national team goal.
At the risk of embarrassment for the visitors, Havertz then won a penalty just moments later and the Arsenal man dusted himself off to stroke home Germany’s fifth from the spot. Nagelsmann’s men heeded Hungary’s plea for mercy at that point, settling for a 5-0 win that stands as the biggest across all four tiers of the Nations League on match day one.
