Porteous horror challenge sums up X-rated Scots
It was an opening game of the tournament that could not have gone any worse for Steve Clarke's hapless Scotland. With the eyes of the world watching as they took on tournament hosts Germany, the Scots were swept aside in a humiliating 5-1 defeat.
They were two goals down in 20 minutes in Munich as Germany ran riot, with their problems intensifying just before half time when Ryan Porteous attempted to separate Ilkay Gundogan from one of his legs with a horrific mistimed two-footed lunge in the Scotland penalty area.
The inevitable red card for Porteous was compounded by Kai Havertz scoring the ensuing penalty to make it 3-0. Two more goals followed with even Scotland's consolation effort coming from an Antonio Rudiger own goal.
Watford defender Porteous is now banned for the next two Group A games against Switzerland, on Wednesday, and Hungary four days later.
“It is something that Ryan will learn, but [it was] an honest challenge to try to get the ball, to try to stop a goalscoring opportunity so I wouldn’t be too hard on him,” said Clarke.
“He was one of my cuddles. I explained the situation. It doesn’t look good. Ryan … is very down, as you would expect, but we will pick him up, don’t worry about that.”
Bad break for Mbappe as France start with win
The opening game did not go according to plan for Kylian Mbappe either, despite tournament favourites France securing a 1-0 victory over Austria.
Real Madrid-bound Mbappe was left with a bloody and swollen nose after a collision with Austria defender Kevin Danso's shoulder as he attempted a header during the Group D match at Dusseldorf Arena on Monday. He was forced off in the 90th minute and taken to hospital where a break was confirmed.
“He is in a bad way. He is not well. His nose is a mess, that's for sure. That is the black mark of the evening for us,” France manager Didier Deschamps said of Mbappe, who has scored 47 goals in 80 appearances for France and had helped provide the only goal of the game when his cross was turned into his own net by Max Wober.
On Tuesday, the French Football Federation (FFF) revealed that Mbappe – one the tournament's headline acts who will be crucial to his country's hopes of becoming European champions for a third time – will not need surgery but will have to wear a protective mask for his next appearance.
However, the FFF did not reveal whether he will be fit enough to play in France's second game against the Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday.
Brilliant Bellingham continues super season
Jude Bellingham, another one of the expected star turns in Germany, showed no signs that his magnificent season will be coming to an end any time soon.
Like fellow tournament favourties France, England won their opening game – against Serbia – 1-0 when Real Madrid's newest superstar scored a flying header to secure his team all three points.
Bellingham, 20, went into the tournament having helped secured the double in his first season at Madrid as well as scooping up the La Liga player of the year award.
And Bellingham ran the show on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen, despite Serbia's best attempts to kick him out of the game, with opposition striker Aleksandar Mitrovic describing him after the match as “one of the best players, if not the best player in the world at the moment”.
For all Bellingham's undoubted qualities, manager Gareth Southgate said other England stars will have to step up if they are to win the tournament. “Not every player can star in every game,” said the coach, whose team face Denmark on Thursday. “What’s important is that different people pop up with the moments like Jude did.”
Spain shine while teen prodigy Yamal makes mark
While France and England could only edge to their respective wins, Spain produced an impressive performance to brush aside Croatia 3-0 in Berlin.
It was a match that saw Barcelona's Yamine Lamal make history by becoming the youngest player in European Championship history at the age of 16 years and 338 days in a match that saw captain Alvaro Morata score the first of three goals in the opening 45 minutes.
Teen prodigy Yamal was then involved in the build-up to Fabian Ruiz putting Spain two up, supplied the cross for Dani Carvajal to make it three and was only denied a goal himself by an excellent save by Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic.
Despite the impressive victory, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was determined not to get carried away. “I am very pleased,” De la Fuente said. “But in five days we have such an important game, against Italy. We have to just stay calm and be professional, because staying calm is power.”
Blow for Belgium and luckless Lukaku
It was a night to forget for Belgium and their record-goalscorer Romelu Lukaku as the Red Devils fell to a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Slovakia in Frankfurt on Monday.
Ivan Schranz's first-half goal earned the Slovakians, 48th in the Fifa rankings, victory over Belgium, ranked third having not lost for 15 games.
A mixture of poor finishing and the intervention of VAR prevented Lukaku from adding to his 85 goals for Belgium, who now need to pick themselves up for their second Group E game against Romania on Saturday.
While he can have no arguments about being caught narrowly offside for the first, the 31-year-old striker can feel aggrieved when his late goal was ruled out by a harsh handball decision given against Lois Openda in the build-up before setting up the chance.
“I want to be at least a good, fair loser,” Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco said about the match officials, who initially let both goals stand. “We trust these guys. We just have to accept it.”
