DUESSELDORF:
Jamal Musiala was instrumental as Germany secured a dominant 5-0 victory over Hungary in their Nations League opener on Saturday. The young midfielder scored once and provided three assists, marking a strong start for the revamped German side, who are looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup following their quarter-final finish at the Euros held on home soil in July.
Germany’s squad has undergone significant changes, with none of the 2014 World Cup winners remaining after the international retirements of Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos, and Manuel Neuer. Former captain Ilkay Gündogan has also stepped away from international football.
In their Group A3 clash, Germany took the lead in the 27th minute when Niclas Füllkrug tapped in from close range following a neat passing combination, assisted by Musiala. Germany had further chances to extend their lead in the first half, with Kai Havertz hitting the crossbar with a header in the 33rd minute and then narrowly missing the target during stoppage time.
Hungary pushed for an equaliser after the break, but Musiala struck again in the 58th minute, finishing a swift counter-attack following a Hungarian corner. Germany’s third goal came in the 66th minute when Florian Wirtz scored after a one-two with Musiala. Havertz, who had earlier hit the woodwork twice, continued to trouble the Hungarian defence.
Musiala capped off his impressive performance by assisting Aleksandar Pavlović for Germany’s fourth goal in the 77th minute. “It is fun to watch that today,” said Füllkrug, praising Musiala’s form. “Jamal was in really good form. It is great to have him in the squad. We made a lot of deep runs and made it really hard for the opponents. Even when we did not have possession, we controlled the game.”
Havertz eventually found the back of the net, converting a penalty in the 81st minute to complete the 5-0 rout. Germany now look ahead to their next Group A3 fixtures against the Netherlands and Bosnia.
