Scotland Men's Football Team

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport journalist

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Jamal Musiala scored again as Germany continued their winning start to Euro 2024 with a 2-0 victory over Hungary in Scotland's group.

The Bayern Munich forward - who tormented Steve Clarke's side and netted the second in Friday's 5-1 win - impressed again and netted midway through the first half in Stuttgart.

Hungary were frustrated with his opener, claiming a foul from Ilkay Gundogan on defender Willi Orban before the Barcelona midfielder teed up Musiala to fire into the roof of the net.

A video assistant referee (VAR) check confirmed the on-field decision as Musiala celebrated with his team-mates in front of Hungary supporters behind the goal.

Hungary thought they had snatched an equaliser on the stroke of half-time but Roland Sallai's rebound header was ruled out for a clear offside.

Instead, Germany extended their lead in the second half when former Manchester City player Gundogan was left unmarked to slot comfortably past goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi.

Read the full report here.

Injured striker Lyndon Dykes speaks to BBC Sport in the build-up to Scotland's game with Switzerland at Euro 2024.

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Former winger Neil McCann believes Scotland must find a new way of playing in the abscence of Lyndon Dykes - but still backs them to beat Switzerland tonight.

The Australian-born forward has scored nine goals in 36 appearances for Scotland - including the crucial equaliser against Norway a year ago.

But with the QPR striker ruled out of the tournament through injury, McCann believes Scotland can't try and replicate his impact on the side.

"We've lost Dykes and Aaron Hickey, who were big players for us," he told the Scottish Football Podcast.

"I don't believe any other player can replicate what Dykes offers us - a really aggressive, physical type.

"I know the game has changed but he retains that presence where he puts people off."

Despite the 5-1 mauling by Germany, and the side's form in post-qualification friendlies, the BBC Scotland pundit believes Scotland can bounce back against Switzerland.

"I still think they retain the capability to show how good we are," he said.

"I still believe that if our players perform we wouldn't be far away. In Switzerland I saw a team that plays 3-4-3, they're not in the same calibre as Germany, and in the second half Hungary came on strong.

"That gives me confidence if we can replicate any of the form from the group we will be right in this game."

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Switzerland will not go into tonight's clash with Scotland underestimating their opponents, insists Swiss journalist Christian Finkbeiner.

Murat Yakin's side go into the crucial group game with Scotland on the back of a 3-1 win over Hungary, while Scotland are still smarting from their Munich monstering.

But Finkbeiner, who writes for Swiss newspaper Blick, thinks the team will expect a tougher test against the Scots.

"Switzerland know Scotland will show they can play better than they did against Germany," he told Radio Scotland.

"They know Scotland have quality with the players they have in the English Premier League. I know they won’t underestimate Scotland.

"We didn’t know before the tournament how strong the Swiss team would be. There were a lot of doubts because qualifying wasn’t so good.

"They had problems up front because Breel Embolo was recovering from injury, but the win against Hungary gave us more optimism for the whole tournament.

"Switzerland know the fans believe the team can go further in the tournament."

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Lewis Ferguson insists Scotland are "good enough" to be at Euro 2024, despite Friday's opening 5-1 defeat by Germany.

The Scots have come under severe criticism since the humbling in Munich and aare in Cologne for their second game against Switzerland on Wednesday evening.

Ferguson missed out on the tournament after sustaining an anterior cruciate knee ligament injury.

"They can find the belief from the quality and the mentality we've got in the squad," the midfielder, 24, told BBC Sport.

"We're there on merit. We're there because we're good enough to be there. We showed that in the qualification. We showed we're a good team. We can go and compete against these teams.

"With the quality we know we have in the squad, the group have got a good mentality. It's so important for us that we go and get something from the Switzerland game. I believe we've got the quality to go and hurt them."

Excitement is building for the Switzerland game as the Tartan Army gather in numbers outside Cologne Cathedral.

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Scotland's players have "drawn a line" under the Germany defeat and are ready to reward the Tartan Army against Switzerland, insists skipper Andy Robertson.

"Friday night was hugely disappointing - we took our time to get over that, whatever emotions we were feeling," Robertson told BBC Sport.

"We had a meeting on what we could have done differently - which was pretty much everything - and then we drew a line under it and thought 'OK, let's move forward from it'.

"I just said if you're disappointed at your own performance, at the team performance, at whatever happened, then it's behind us now and we have to move forward.

"It's just about giving belief to the lads. We're a good team when we want to be but we need to show it on the biggest stage. We didn't do that on Friday but we've got another chance."

The bruising 5-1 loss against Germany may have significantly dented hopes of escaping the group stage for the first time, but Robertson is looking to his team-mates to step up against the Swiss.

"The message is to play with confidence and play together," he said.

"We were maybe not as together on Friday as we needed to be, conceding five goals shows we weren't exactly in the right places. We have to be a lot better in every aspect of the game.

"We are focused on our performance levels - everyone on that pitch thinks they can improve on certain things they did and that's a good starting block.

"The support we had on Friday was unbelievable and I believe the support we'll have [against Switzerland] will be pretty special as well. We have to give them something to be excited about."

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BBC Scotland gave supporters the opportunity to ask former winger Neil McCann his thoughts on how Clarke's side can reverse the mistakes they made against Germany

Here are some of his replies:

Andy: We clearly got our distances wrong on Friday night. Adams was isolated and you could drive a bus between the midfield and defence. Would you tweak the system or is it horses for courses?

"I wouldn't tweak the system. We were virtually a 5-4-1 out of possession but you're right, the biggest problem for me was the area around the centre-backs which Ilkay Gundogan kept on finding."

Jake: What are your thoughts on Grant Hanley? Is he up to international standards or could we see him struggle like Porteous on Friday if he starts?

"I would have started Grant Hanley. He's maybe not got enough minutes under his belt, which is why he didn't start, but I would start him."

Anon: Do you think we should change goalkeepers? Not saying it was Angus Gunn's fault but letting five goals in isn't good for confidence.

"It’s not good for confidence. I would probably put a big portion of blame on Angus for the first, third and fifth goals. That being said, there weren't many pass marks in the team.

"I think it would be unfair - we're already going to change one of the back five, there's an argument we may change the right side too, so I would keep the goalkeeper."

Neil: Scotland seemed to give Kroos and Rudiger all the time in the world to pick their passes. Surely we should have man-marked Kroos and pressed Rudiger quicker and more aggressively. Why do you think Steve Clarke abandoned his pressing game for Germany of all teams?

"You can't press and keep a high line. If you go and press aggressively and don't get it right, you get absolutely hammered. We always felt they were going to sit deep - it didn't work.

"The problem is Germany played with a back four, which almost became a back two, and when Kroos dropped in it meant their spare man was always in through the middle. I don't think we were ever equipped to go and press them like that."

Kev: Do you think one of those talented central midfielders that we have needs to step up and be a creative force? They are all good footballers but they are also all similar, they would all rather play those short 10-yard easy passes. We need them to start trying to play the defence-splitting pass and not fear giving away possession.

"I'm actually not sure that McTominay, McGinn or McGregor are that type of player. I would play McTominay and McGinn ahead of Gilmour and McGregor in almost a box formation and just unleash them, let them run beyond, that's their strength."

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Former Swiss international Bruno Berner also believes manager Murat Yakin will be expecting a tougher test from Scotland than the Germany result may have indicated.

"We expect energy from Scotland," he told BBC Sport. "We expect changes, with Billy Gilmour coming in, we expect him to play from the start. What a talent he is.

"So for us it’s really to get back into that next game as we started against Hungary. The expectation has to be that Scotland will come out and try to hurt us so I think Switzerland will be ready for tonight."

Switzerland’s track record of qualification has been much more impressive than Scotland’s of late, having not missed a tournament since failing to reacch Euro 2012 – which has increased the pressure on the side, says former Leicester defender Berner.

"There were a lot of questions about where we are as a team," he said. "When we qualified just before before Christmas, the reaction was like it wasn't good enough.

"We're Switzerland, we qualified for a major tournament again, we should be very, very happy. Yes, we have fantastic players nowadays. But hey, it's all about being qualified for the next tournament.

"Many people were proven wrong last Saturday against Hungary, luckily, and we really showed a very good performance.”

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Last time Scotland faced Switzerland at a European Championship, it was in 1996 - and a crucial group decider at Villa Park.

Scotland secured a 1-0 win that night courtesy of an Ally McCoist wonder strike - but it would prove to be in vain after England dropped a goal to Holland in their 4-1 win at Wembley, condemning Craig Brown's side to another goal-difference tournament exit.

And as former Scotland midfielder Stuart McCall recalled, the Swiss showdown was a full-on game for both sides.

"That was a great game of football," he told the Sacked In The Morning podcast. "It was end to end because Switzerland needed to win.

"Coisty had two sitters. And then he scores one from 25 yards. England get to 3-0 and you're up the park because we need a goal and then we hear it's 4-0 and you're back.

"I went over to take a throw-in, and the guy's face was tartan all over. He went, 'Holland have scored, we need another goal'.

"It was a wonderful game and people said, 'England let you down'. No, I would expect England to win 4-1 anyway. So we're nothing to do with England, we needed another goal and again it was another glorious failure."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds as Colin Hendry & Stuart McCall recall 2006

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Scotland boss Steve Clarke says he wants his side to do their talking on the park against Switzerland amid the noise surrounding the bruising 5-1 loss to Germany.

The post-mortem following the opening game defeat has continued to dominate discussions around Scotland since the weekend, but Clarke says his side are focused on tonight's match instead.

"The objective is clear but the opponent is difficult," he told BBC Sport.

"We didn't start well so we've got a lot to prove. I think we're better this time not to speak too much and to put the action in on the pitch."

Switzerland, fresh from their 3-1 win over Hungary, will prove a different challenge to Scotland than the Germans opening the tournament in front of their own support - but Clarke still expects a formidable test.

"They're a difficult opponent, strong in the centre of the park," he said.

"I think collectively they're strong, they've a good base up front. we're going to have to defend well, certainly better than we did the other night."

With much speculation around who should start against Switzerland, the head coach admitted change would be coming - but emphasised his players are keen to show Friday's loss was a one-off.

"I think you always look, second game into a three-game tournament, there can be one or two changes," he added.

"But all the boys who played the other night are desperate to go out and make amends. Ryan Porteous is suspended so he won't play - so there's at least one change."

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Former Scotland midfielder John Collins believes Steve Clarke’s side need to show "the shackles are off" when they face Switzerland in tonight’s crucial Group A match.

Collins was a key part of the Scotland team that played at the 1998 World Cup in France which, like Clarke’s side, lost the opening game of the tournament against the hosts.

And after last Friday’s bruising 5-1 loss to Germany, the former Monaco and Celtic player thinks Scotland need a much more energetic performance against the Swiss.

"We were very cautious and subdued in the first game," he told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland.

"Now we’ve just got to go for it, the shackles are off, it’s all or nothing. We’ve got to try and win the game, and if we get a draw out of it then we go to the last game and we can still qualify. So I think the mindset will be ‘let’s go for it’."

However, in the wake of Ryan Porteous's red card against Germany - which will rule the Watford defender out of Scotland's remaining group games - Collins urged the players to watch their step when pressing their opponents.

"We have to be more aggressive - but we have to be careful with that word as well. In modern-day football, rules have changed, mistimed tackles are a red card and we don’t what that. We want 11 players on the pitch.

"It’s got to be controlled aggression."

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Andy Robertson was quick to dismiss outside criticism in the wake of their 5-1 defeat to Germany.

The Scotland captain accepts only a much-improved performance will do against Switzerland, but backed the Scots to deliver and keep their hopes of progression to the knock-out stages alive.

"I could talk all night, it won't make a difference," the Liverpool defender said. "It's easy to talk about a game of football, but it's not as easy to go out and do it.

"We need action, although we talked after the game. A lot of people outside couldn't wait to dip in. That's fine, they get paid for that and we respect that.

"But we have to act and do a lot better on the pitch. We need to be confident we can perform to our highest level and if we do that, we can cause any teams problems."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland manager Steve Clarke spoke to the media before his side's crucial Euros clash against Switzerland in Cologne on Wednesday.

Here were the key points from his press conference:

• He told me to expect "at least one change", with a smile on his face. We all know Ryan Porteous is banned for two matches. But the answer suggests there might be more. Billy Gilmour to start, anyone?

• The other main message from the Scotland boss was a simple one: "We have to go again. It’s as simple as that." He means there’s no point in looking back to the wreckage of the Germany game. It’s all about the Swiss now.

• On tomorrow’s opponents, he says he expects a tough game. "They’re a good side."

• Clarke believes the response from his players in training and in the debriefs has been good but that now it’s time to deliver.

• And the good news? "Everyone is fit."