At the dawn of Thursday (20), Germany defeated Hungary by a score of 2-0, locking up a place in the round of 16 a step ahead of schedule. Recently, Germany's goalkeeper Newa has been criticized, but he saved the day and brought Germany its first European victory in eight years. In this "shutout" matchup, Newa tied the Italian goalkeeper legend Paolo Bufon's record of 17 European appearances, successfully resolving the controversy surrounding him.
Since the skiing accident two years ago that led to the 38-year-old Newa accidentally breaking his foot, his form has been up and down. According to a poll conducted by Germany's Bild-Zeitung before the final week, 70% of the fans preferred to play Darmstagen, yet the leader's trust in Neua was unwavering. Nuña had a heroic game, not only saving a shot from Luran Salal, but also pouncing on a penalty from Szuboszlár, and kicking away Hungary's second attacking surge.
Despite Germany losing a clean sheet to Scotland to an own goal, Newa managed to concede zero goals in the game. For the first time in eight years, Germany have kept a clean sheet in a European tournament since the 3-0 win over Slovakia in the 2016 European Nations Round of 16. Newa's European tournament appearances now stand at 17, equaling Bohfon's record. The next round of matches may witness a new history.
After the fight, Newa said, "I was determined to win this fight and prove that I didn't miss a beat against Scotland, and I'm really lucky to have won this fight. I deserve to keep a healthy body. This win is very important for us. We now have to focus on preparing for our next game, which will be a tough test against our Swiss club rivals."
European Goalkeeper Appearance Record Rankings
1. Insurers (Italy) 17
1. Germany (GER) 17 games
3. Windassa (Netherlands) 16 games
3. Portugal (PORTUGAL) Rourbadesio 16
3. Loris (France) 16 games
