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By Patric Ridge
Group A came to a close on Sunday, meaning we now know four teams who will feature in the last 16. We also know the second team to have crashed out.
Germany and Switzerland are into the knockouts, joining Portugal and Spain, with the Euro 2024 hosts having claimed top spot.
Scotland, meanwhile, exited the competition following their 1-0 loss to Hungary — Steve Clarke’s team join Poland in that regard.
Here, we run through one talking point for each side.
GERMANY: FULLKRUG COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE
Niclas Fullkrug was Germany’s super-sub yet again on Sunday, with the Borussia Dortmund striker scoring a brilliant last-gasp equaliser.
Fullkrug powered in a towering header to finally break Switzerland’s resolve in Frankfurt.
Germany had been blunt in the first half, though had better chances in the second, though it was not until Fullkrug entered the fray in the 76th minute that Switzerland’s defence began to look a little ragged.
It’s food for thought for Julian Nagelsmann heading into the knockouts. The fluid front three of Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz did the business against Scotland and Hungary, but struggled to break down a more defensively resolute team.
Fullkrug is a throwback — a ‘classic’ number nine if there ever was one. He’s now got two goals from the bench at Euro 2024, but perhaps he should be a starter in the knockouts?
SWITZERLAND: THE X(HAKA) FACTOR
Switzerland were just moments away from progressing to the last 16 as group winners, until Fullkrug cropped up.
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