Euro 2024: Germany weather storm, holders Italy knocked out

Hosts Germany booked their Euro 2024 quarter-finals berth with a commanding 2-0 win over Denmark 

Hosts Germany beat Denmark 2-0 in a storm-interrupted encounter to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on Saturday, after reigning champions Italy were knocked out of the competition by Switzerland.

Two second-half goals, one a Kai Havertz penalty and another a Jamal Musiala strike, allowed Germany to come out on top in Dortmund, where the last-16 tie was halted for 25 minutes late in the first half as a violent storm passed overhead.

English referee Michael Oliver was forced to take the two teams off the pitch due to torrential rain, hailstones, high winds, thunder and lightning, while some fans in the crowd of 60,000 found themselves caught underneath torrents of water streaming from the stadium roof.

When play resumed, Germany thought they had fallen behind early in the second half when Joachim Andersen scored, but his effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review, and the unfortunate Danish defender was then penalised for a handball in his own box moments later.

Havertz dispatched the spot-kick to put Germany ahead in the 53rd minute, and both he and Leroy Sane missed good opportunities before Musiala ran clear to make it 2-0 midway through the second half.

A commanding victory takes the hosts through to a quarter-final next Friday in Stuttgart against either much-fancied Spain or surprise package Georgia.

Denmark, meanwhile, go home without winning a game, having qualified from their group by drawing all three matches.

Swiss on a roll
Earlier, Italy’s defence of their title ended in underwhelming fashion as they deservedly lost to Switzerland, going down 2-0 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
Ruben Vargas teed up Remo Freuler for Switzerland’s 37th-minute opener before curling home superbly himself right at the start of the second half to deservedly double their lead.
Murat Yakin’s supremely well-drilled side, who held Germany to a draw in the group stage, outplayed the flat two-time champions and will face England or Slovakia in the next round, next Saturday in Duesseldorf.
A new-look Italy, short on star power and without many of the key figures that led them to Euro 2020 glory, offered little in response to Switzerland’s energetic display.
- AFP