Scotland knocked out of Euro 2024 after late Hungary goal

Steve Clarke’s squad were battling to stay in the tournament in Germany and aiming to reach the knock-out stage of a major competition for the first time.

Hungary have knocked Scotland out with a late goal in a crunch Euro 2024 group match that was almost overshadowed by a serious injury.

Kevin Csoboth scored in the dying minutes to end Scotland’s dreams of making the knock-out stages.

Earlier, there was concern throughout the stadium when Barnabas Varga went down in the Scotland penalty area after a clash with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn in the second half.

Hungary’s players quickly surrounded their team-mate and a large screen was brought out to provide some privacy as medical staff treated him.

Players on both sides were seen with their heads in their hands, sparking memories of Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest at the last Euros tournament in 2021.

Varga, a forward, was stretchered off to warm applause from all sides of the stadium, with his colleagues continuing to surround him, while holding up the screen.

Scotland thought they had a penalty when substitute Stuart Armstrong was brought down in the penalty area, but the referee waved away their appeals.

Scotland captain Andy Robertson said the team were caught by a “sucker-punch” at the end of the game in Stuttgart.

Speaking to the BBC after the match, Robertson said they “gave it everything” and “it could’ve gone either way.”

The Liverpool full-back reflected: “That’s football, that’s how it goes. It’ll take a long time to get over this.”

His Reds team-mate, Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian captain, brought a save from Gunn in the Scotland goal in the dying minutes – only to find out he was offside.

Earlier, he had been in tears as medical staff responded to his teammate, according to TV commentary of the game.

Just moments after the Szoboszlai chance, Hungary’s Kevin Csoboth hit the post when clean through, as Scotland ended the match living dangerously.

Scott McTominay then put a chance over but he turned out to be offside.

The frantic end was in sharp contrast to a cagey opening period, with few, if any, clear-cut chances.

In the group’s other game, Switzerland drew 1-1 with hosts Germany, after leading for most of the match.

The draw means Germany top the group with seven points, with Switzerland second on five. Hungary are third on three points, with Scotland bottom on one.

Scotland fans leaving the ground told Sky News the team was “too negative”, with several blaming [manager] Steve Clarke and another accusing the team of “playing for a draw when we needed a win.”

One man in the Tartan Army’s standard outfit of replica shirt and kilt, simply said it had been “a nightmare, an absolute nightmare”.

The result follows a 1-1 draw in Scotland’s second game of the tournament, against Switzerland.

Steve Clarke’s side had put in a more positive performance than in their 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany on the opening day of Euro 2024 but couldn’t secure three points.

Scott McTominay’s deflected strike gave Scotland the lead after 13 minutes at the Cologne Stadium, but celebrations were short-lived after former Liverpool star Xherdan Shaqiri equalised on the 26-minute mark.

Nevertheless, the point kept Scotland’s dreams alive until Sunday’s match.

Thousands of supporters have joined the Tartan Army in Germany to support Scotland’s Euros run.

Scotland played in Euro 2020 in the summer of 2021, which was delayed by the COVID pandemic. But this is the first major football tournament without social distancing concerns for Scots since the World Cup in France in 1998.

It was the 12th time Scotland have reached the finals of a major tournament but failed to make it through to the knockout stage.