Matchday two in the Euro 2024 group stage began on Wednesday, with hosts Germany headlining another dramatic day of action.
Julian Nagelsmann’s hosts became the first team to book their spot in the last 16, but they were pushed far closer by Hungary than they were by Scotland last Friday.
Scotland themselves stopped the rot with a 1-1 draw against Switzerland, though things could have been even better for the Tartan Army had Xherdan Shaqiri’s stunning goal not cancelled out Scott McTominay’s opener.
In Group B, meanwhile, Croatia and Albania served up another classic, with a 2-2 draw leaving the 2022 World Cup bronze medallists on the brink of an early exit.
But what were the standout stats to emerge from day six at the Euros?
Germany through to the round of 16 #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/tNgBkM4Myv
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) June 19, 2024
Croatia 2-2 Albania: Gjasula makes history at either end
The early kick-off slot at this tournament has quickly become a fan favourite, and Wednesday’s edition will certainly have converted a few more viewers.
Croatia were set for a comeback win when Andrej Kramaric’s strike and Klaus Gjasula’s own goal flipped the match on its head, after Qazim Laci had put Albania ahead.
There were just 147 seconds between the two Croatia goals deep into the second half, with Kramaric celebrating his 33rd birthday with a composed finish. He is the third player to score at the Euros on his birthday, after Jean-Francois Domergue in 1984 and Wesley Sneijder in 2008.
However, Gjasula went from villain to hero five minutes into stoppage time, snatching a famous draw for Albania by slotting a cool finish past Dominik Livakovic. Having come on in the 72nd minute, he is the first substitute to ever score a goal and an own goal in the same Euros match.
94 – At 94 minutes and 23 seconds, Albania’s Klaus Gjasula’s goal to make it 2-2 was the latest equalising goal scored in UEFA European Championship history (excluding extra time). Gong. pic.twitter.com/uQUl9XgnYi
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 19, 2024
He is only the second player to do so overall, after Anton Ondrus for Czechoslovakia against the Netherlands at the 1976 tournament.
Being officially timed at 94 minutes and 23 seconds, his goal was also the latest equaliser ever recorded at the European Championships (excluding extra time).
The result leaves Croatia likely needing to defeat Italy in their final game to have any chance of progressing, meaning Luka Modric and company are facing up to the prospect of a humiliating exit just 18 months after getting on the podium in Qatar.
Modric started his 15th Euros ga
