Boyd labels Scotland ’embarrassing’ after Germany thrashing

Former Scotland striker Kris Boyd labelled his country’s performance “embarrassing” after their 5-1 hammering at the hands of Germany in the Euro 2024 curtain raiser.

Scotland were always up against it against the European Championship hosts, who came into the tournament on the back of friendly wins over France and the Netherlands.

Even so, lax defending and poor ball retention saw Steve Clarke’s side 2-0 down inside 20 minutes, with a third netted before the break from a Kai Havertz penalty once Ryan Porteous had been sent off for a rash challenge on Ilkay Gungodan.

Scotland restored some pride after half-time and would have drawn the second 45 minutes 1-1 before Emre Can netted an injury-time fifth, but the damage was long-since done.

“They were embarrassing,” Boyd told Sky Sports News. “They deserve enormous credit for getting there but we can’t keep getting to competitions and freezing. That’s exactly what happened.

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Scotland were left humbled as they conceded five goals for the first time in a competitive match in more than 20 years

“Germany were very good, but at the end of the day you’ve got to track your runners, you’ve got to stay with them and show more confidence on the ball when 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 player of the match as the Germany midfielder impressed on the international stage again, while Florian Wirtz capped his own tournament debut with a fine opening goal, with Gundogan pulling the strings in midfield.

But Boyd felt Germany’s quality was allowed to shine by Scotland’s static defending and said Clarke’s side must use the chastening defeat as a lesson ahead of facing Switzerland in Cologne on Wednesday.

“Scotland really struggled with the movement of the front players of Germany, albeit they were quality, and they switched off at key moments,” he said.

“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 easy games. You’ve got to erase this result, it’s done now and you can’t affect it now. What you can do is go and look at the next two games and try and cause problems 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

Manager Clarke, whose side have only beaten Gibraltar in their last nine games, urged the Tartan Army to “keep the faith” despite the dispiriting opening defeat, after a number of fans left the Allianz Arena long before 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 disappointed, we feel as though we’ve let ourselves down. We’re better than that and hopefully we can show that in the next two games.

“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 tough nights before. I’ll get over it.

“I’ve never ever doubted my players.”

Robertson: First half was ‘all wrong’

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Ryan Porteous was sent off shortly before half-time for his follow-through on Ilkay Gundogan

Captain Andy Robertson said Germany’s first-half performance worked “a million times better” than Scotland’s during their painful drubbing in Munich.

“First half we got it all wrong,” the Liverpool defender told ITV. “We didn’t really show up, weren’t aggressive enough. Let good players on the ball.

“They had a game plan, we did, and theirs worked a million times better 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, down to 10 men, I thought we dug in well. We lost a sloppy goal late on, but we could’ve drawn the second half.

“It’s no consolation, though, we’re well backed over here. Today was hugely disappointing.”