Germany 5 - 1 Scotland
And we are off. Following a pretty lame opening ceremony, we got our first dose of tourney action, and Germany looked frighteningly awesome. They are much more likeable as a team now, with a good brand of football, blending control with directness.
Toni Kroos was some kind of passing machine, completing 119/120 passes as the Germans strangled the life out of a sterile Scotland. I'd actually thought it would be a close game, but it became clear early on that Germany would prevail. Scotland had literally no outlet. A forward threat of Che Adams and zero wingers is a serious problem for them, especially when the midfield is bolstered by the likes of Scott McTominay, who everyday looks and plays more and more like a keen sixth former than a premier league midfielder.
Musiala was majestic. I know there was lots of fuss about him in the last tourney, but he seems to have come on a lot and is much less a wildcard now, instead an integral threat for a pretty good team.
InstaVAR was on show, with decisions happening without fuss. It makes me wonder why the Premier League can't afford to put microchips into its footballs, instead preferring shambolic prevarication from muppet officials. Tournaments usually highlight good signings that need making, and already this one has put semi-automated VAR front and centre in the shop window.
Selfishly, I spent the second half considering the benefits of McGinn coming home early so he can rest up and do good things for Villa early next season, but then I remembered that this tourney has the stupid format where most of the third place teams still qualify. So it's not over for Scotland, and we may yet still see Che Adams set the knockout stages alight.
3 games today, fridge stocked, now I'm hyped.
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