Two own goals help rejuvenated Germany thrash Portugal

 

Two own goals in four first-half minutes helped a rejuvenated Germany to a crucial 4-2 comeback thrashing of Portugal in a sweltering hot Euro 2020 Group F blockbuster in Munich.

The pressure was on the hosts after their opening match loss to France and, after a positive start, they went behind to a brilliant counter-attack from Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo tapping in his 107th international goal and first against Germany after good work from Bernardo Silva and Diogo Jota.

There were just 15 minutes on the clock but Germany were frustrated and their hopes of a place in the knockout stages was in doubt – but the game then flipped on its head when Portugal defenders Ruben Dias (35) and Raphael Guerreiro (39) each turned the ball into their own net.

It is the first time in major tournament history a team has scored two own goals in a game and was the lift Germany needed, with Kai Havertz (51) converting from close range to become their youngest-ever scorer at a Euros before Robin Gosens – who had put in crosses for two of the earlier goals – nodded in a free header at the back post on the hour.

There was hope for Portugal when an unmarked Ronaldo set up Jota (67) to pull one back and Renato Sanches crashed a shot against the woodwork but the defending champions had left themselves too much to do and, after a heavyweight match-up which lived up to its billing, an ominous-looking Germany moved second in the pool, ahead of Portugal on head-to-head records.