In a bid to secure their spot in the Euro 2024 knockout stages ahead of schedule, hosts Germany are set to face Hungary in a Group A showdown on Wednesday at the MHPArena in Stuttgart.
Julian Nagelsmann's squad made history with a resounding 5-1 victory over Scotland in their opener, while Hungary suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Switzerland.
Germany began the European Championships in a manner that suggests they aim to end it, creating tournament history with a comprehensive victory over Scotland at the Allianz Arena last Friday, marking the largest opening win in the men's competition's history.
Nagelsmann's team shattered seven records in a spectacular display, with young talents Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala providing an early advantage, followed by Kai Havertz's successful penalty after Ryan Porteous's reckless tackle on İlkay Gündoğan.
Although Antonio Rudiger's own goal extended Germany's run without a clean sheet at major tournaments to 13 matches, goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can, sandwiched around Rudiger's misfortune, spared his blushes and ignited a frenzy in Munich.
Sitting atop Group A ahead of Switzerland on goal difference, Germany can secure a top-two finish with a victory on Wednesday evening.
Even if Scotland upset Switzerland, their inferior head-to-head record would prevent them from overtaking Die Mannschaft.
Nagelsmann's tenure started modestly, but the Euro 2024 hosts are now riding a five-match unbeaten streak with four wins, providing ample motivation to secure their top-two finish against a recent adversary.
It has been almost three years since Hungary held Germany to a 2-2 draw in the Euro 2020 group stage, and they have managed to take four points off Die Mannschaft in their most recent Nations League encounters, including a memorable 1-0 win in September 2022 orchestrated by Marco Rossi.
Adam Szalai was the hero of the day with the winning goal – his final one for the national team before retirement.
Hungary missed his talismanic presence during their recent clash with Switzerland, where they fell short in a hard-fought battle.
Switzerland took a deserved two-goal lead through Kwadwo Duah and Michel Aebischer, but Barnabas Varga's goal halved the deficit.
Despite late pressure from Hungary, Switzerland secured a 3-1 victory with Breel Embolo's delicate lob.
As a result, Rossi's team sits third in Group A, level on points with Scotland. Their top-two aspirations could be dashed in Stuttgart this week.
The loss to Switzerland was only Hungary's second defeat in their last 17 matches. While both losses occurred this month, their scoring streak of 12 matches should offer some consolation to their fans.
Germany had an almost flawless performance against Scotland, with none of Nagelsmann's players picking up any injuries.
Fans and neutrals were relieved to see İlkay Gündoğan escape unscathed from Ryan Porteous's reckless tackle, which caught the Barcelona man on the ankle with full force.
Gündoğan is expected to be part of an unchanged starting XI for the tournament hosts, working alongside man-of-the-match Jamal Musiala and Bayer Leverkusen's rising star Florian Wirtz, who is now the youngest German to score a goal at the European Championships.
Robert Andrich and Jonathan Tah both received bookings against Scotland, putting them at risk of missing the final group game against Switzerland if they receive another yellow card on Wednesday. However, missing that match might be preferable if Germany have already secured qualification.
On the other side, Hungary's coach Marco Rossi couldn't count on Loic Nego or Callum Styles due to unspecified fitness issues against Switzerland. Although both players are working on their recoveries, neither is expected to contend for a starting position.
Even without Nego, Rossi might consider a change on the right flank, possibly opting for Bendeguz Bolla or Endre Botka, as both players, along with Attila Szalai, are walking a disciplinary tightrope. The 34-year-old Attila Fiola got the nod in the opener.
Dominik Szoboszlai, now the youngest male captain in Euros history, showed signs of frustration before assisting Varga's header on Saturday. The Liverpool player is set to earn his 44th cap.