Robin Gosens and Kai Havertz wreaked havoc against Portugal on Saturday as Germany beat Fernando Santos’ side 4-2 in their Group F Euro 2020 game, with the help of two own goals.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Diogo Jota both scored for Portugal, but homeward goals from Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro as well as strikes from Gosens and Havertz allowed Germany to come away with all three points.
Germany started what seemed like a dream start when Gosens scored at the near post after just five minutes.
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However, a VAR review showed Serge Gnabry had been offside during preparation and the goal was disallowed by referee Anthony Taylor.
It felt like it wasn’t Germany’s day when Portugal scored 10 minutes later thanks to Ronaldo’s record striker.
Portugal snapped on a counterattack after a corner from Germany with Jota in perfect control of the ball before crossing it to Ronaldo who slapped it past Manuel Neuer into the goal.
The goal brings Ronaldo to two goals to equal Iranian Ali Daei’s all-time international goalscoring record with 109 goals and further stretches his European Championship record.
Portugal’s lucky wind started to change after half an hour of play, however, as they fell to their own two goals in four minutes to allow Germany to take the lead.
The first came in the 35th minute when Gosens placed a low, hard cross into the box which both Havertz and Dias ran over. Initially it looked like the Chelsea striker had put his foot in the net but reruns showed the ball had come out of Dias.
Germany strengthened their lead in the 39th minute after placing several crosses in the box. The ball circled around the penalty area with Havertz and Joshua Kimmich attempting to land it in the net. Guerreiro tried to clear the ball but instead put it in his own net.
Havertz was able to officially put his name on the scoresheet in the second half after Gosens, who was all over for Germany, placed a low cross into the box Havertz tapped.
Germany ended the game after an hour when Kimmich threw another corner into the box. Havertz and Gosens got up to meet him, but it was the latter who put his head in the ball and passed him in front of Rui Patricio.
Ronaldo repaid Jota for his previous 67th-minute assist. Portugal got a free kick at the edge of the penalty area which was triggered and which seemed to go far.
However, Ronaldo managed to keep him and threw him past the goal where Jota was waiting to point him into the net.
France lead Group F with four points after a 1-1 draw against Hungary earlier today. Germany and Portugal are both three points behind, with first ahead in second place on goal difference.
