Impressive Germany finally overcome bogey team Italy

None of Ireland’s group opponents at Euro 2016 won their respective friendlies last night. It was a particularly chastening night for Italy as the Azzurri lost 4-1 against world champions Germany in Munich.

Toni Kroos and Mario Gotze gave Germany another ominous two-goal lead, but rather than capitulating to a 3-2 loss like they did against England, this time they went on to add further goals through Jonas Hector and Mesut Ozil.

Stephan El Shaarawy grabbed a consolation for Antonio Conte’s men, but the impressive win allowed Joachim Low’s side to get the better of their bogey team for the first time since 1995.

Italy were defending a proud record of over 20 years without a defeat to Germany, including semi-final triumphs at the 2006 World Cup, which they went on to win under Marcello Lippi, and at Euro 2012.

Prior to that 2006 triumph, Lippi’s Italy beat Germany 4-1 in a March friendly, yet they were given a taste of some of their own medicine in Munich.

Belgium also lost, going down 2-1 in Portugal. Goals from Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo gave the hosts a commanding lead at the interval and while Romelu Lukaku pulled one back, Portugal held out.

Sweden, who Ireland begin their campaign in France against, fared slighlty better, drawing 1-1 with the Czech Republic.

Marcus Berg put the Swedes in front but Matej Vydra hit back for the visitors.

Meanwhile, Leicester midfielder N’Golo Kante and substitute Dimitri Payet both marked their birthday with fine goals as Euro 2016 hosts France beat Russia 4-2 in Paris.

Didier Deschamps’ squad returned to the Stade de France for the first time since the November terrorist attacks in the French capital, and took an early lead after just eight minutes into what was an emotionally-charged occasion.

Kante, making his first start, slotted a low shot into the bottom left corner past Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.

Paul Pogba saw an angled shot saved before the home side doubled their lead on 37 minutes.

Griezmann clipped a free-kick out on the left in towards the near post, where Andre-Pierre Gignac was alert to direct a superb diving header across into the far corner.

Russia pulled a goal back on 57 minutes when Zenit St Petersburg forward Aleksandr Kokorin headed in a right-wing free-kick from Alan Dzagoev.

Payet, so impressive against Holland on his recall to the national team, came on for the last half hour, replacing Griezmann — and the now 29-year-old West Ham playmaker produced an instant impact with a stunning strike in the 64th minute.

The diminutive midfielder curled a near 30-yard free-kick up over the wall and in off the far post.

Russia, though, reduced the deficit again on 68 minutes when Yuri Zhirkov, the former Chelsea man, tapped in after a strong run by Oleg Shatov down the left.

Coman scored a fourth for France in the 76th minute, turning the ball back past the goalkeeper after being played clear by Payet into the right side of the penalty area.

Matt Ritchie’s intuitive early goal gave Scotland a hard-fought 1-0 win over Denmark at a rain-drenched Hampden Park.

The Bournemouth wide-man nipped in front of hesitant Danish skipper Daniel Agger in the eighth minute to confidently knock the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to get the home side off to a positive start.

Denmark grew stronger after the slack start, with Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon having to make a few saves, the best from substitute Martin Braithwaite’s close-range header, but the home side held out to build on their 1-0 win over the Czech Republic in Prague last Thursday night.