Euro 2024 Data Dive: Late goals and broken records tee up dramatic finish to Group A

Sunday’s action at Euro 2024 saw the conclusion of Group A, with late drama ensuring a last-gasp shake up to the standings.

Germany looked sure to be on the end of a shock defeat to Switzerland until substitute Niclas Fullkrug stepped up to make it 1-1 in stoppage time and send the hosts through as group winners.

Meanwhile, Scotland crashed out of the tournament without a win after conceding the latest goal ever scored at the Euros, with Hungary keeping their hopes of knockout football alive with their 1-0 victory.

Here, we run through all the best Opta stats to emerge from the day’s matches.

How Group A finished…#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/dmrRhXpNSJ

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 23, 2024

Switzerland 1-1 Germany: Neuer makes history, but Fullkrug grabs headlines

Having already qualified for the last 16, the hosts left it late to seal top spot in the group, needing Fullkrug to make a much-needed impact off the bench in Frankfurt.

Dan Ndoye had given Switzerland a first-half lead with his maiden international goal to become the nation’s second-youngest goalscorer at the Euros (aged 23 years 242 days), but Switzerland could not hold on.

Manuel Neuer was left helpless against the forward’s first-time finish on his 18th appearance at the European Championships, the most among goalkeepers at the tournament (overtaking Gianluigi Buffon – 17). At major tournaments, only Cristiano Ronaldo (45) has played in more games than the Bayern Munich stopper (37).

Julian Nagelsmann named the same starting XI for three consecutive games, the first time Germany have done so in the competition’s history, though it looked like tiredness was starting to take its toll as they struggled to break down their opponents.

Toni Kroos finished the game with a passing accuracy of 92.5%, only averaging lower than that in one game for Real Madrid in 2023-24), but also equalled a record in the late drama.

Having completed 323 passes so far at Euro 2024, Kroos has made the joint-most on record (since 1980) by a player in the group stage since himself at Euro 2016 (also 323).

Germany 1-1 Switzerland

A big goal from big Niclas Füllkrug in added time means that Germany finish top of Group A and Switzerland qualify in second place.#Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/19iqhtqcVU

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 23, 2024

Germany eventually had 18 shots, with Fullkrug picking out the top corner with the final one; the striker has scored 13 goals in just 19 international appearances, while his four as a substitute at major tournaments are more than any other European player.

Despite ultimately losing out on top spot, Switzerland have now gone unbeaten in their last four games against Die Mannschaft (W1 D3), with no nation currently enjoying a longer unbeaten streak against Germany (England and Spain both have ongoing runs of four).

Scotland 0-1 Hungary: Csoboth breaks Tartan Army’s hearts

Meanwhile in Stuttgart, it was Hungary celebrating a late strike to seal a 1-0 victory that ensured an early exit for Scotland as they chased what would have been a landmark win.

Kevin Csoboth cemented his place in European Championship history with his counter-attacking finish as he netted the latest goal ever scored in the tournament’s history (excluding extra time), timed at 99 minutes and 32 seconds.

Despite needing a win to finish third, Scotland failed to have a single shot on target in the game. In total, the Tartan Army had just 17 shots at Euro 2024 – since the group stage was introduced in 1980, it is the joint-fewest by a national team, along with Northern Ireland at Euro 2016.

17 – Scotland had just 17 shots at EURO 2024 in total – since the group stage was introduced in 1980, that is the joint fewest by a nation in a group stage, along with Northern Ireland at EURO 2016. Exit. pic.twitter.com/lyDMcO9sK3

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 23, 2024

Indeed, only twice at Euro 2024 has a team failed to manage a shot on target in the first half of a match and both have been Scotland (also on MD 1 against Germany).

Scotland pushed numbers forward for their last-minute corner with the hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the Euros for the first time, but instead will leave a major tournament group stage without a win for the sixth time (1954, 1958, 1986 and 1998 World Cups and Euro 2020 and 2024).

While looking down and out after failing to win either of their opening games, Hungary finally ended a run of eight games in the competition without a win, registering their first victory since beating Austria 2-0 at Euro 2016 – this was also their first clean sheet since that win.