Switzerland Advance After Thrilling Win Over Serbia

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The group phases of the 2022 World Cup concluded on the 2nd of December with a implausible match between Switzerland and Serbia in Group G.

The Swiss knew a draw can be sufficient to see them progress whereas Serbia needed to win the match to have any likelihood of reaching the spherical of 16.

Serbia opted for a 3-5-2 formation and began Dusan Vlahovic in assault alongside Aleksandar Mitrovic. Regardless of their attacking intent within the opening quarter-hour which noticed Andrija Zivkovic hit the publish, it was Switzerland who opened the scoring after 20 minutes by way of a wise end from Xherdan Shaqiri.

Nevertheless, Serbia continued to push ahead and it took solely 6 minutes for them to search out the equaliser courtesy of an incredible header from Mitrovic.

Serbia have been having the higher of the primary half and totally deserved to enter the interval forward as Vlahovic despatched a left footed shot into the far nook. As the primary half ended, Serbia have been the group in second place within the group behind Brazil however there was extra drama to return. Switzerland equalised within the forty fourth minute as Breel Embolo slotted residence from a low cross on the precise.

Conceding the equaliser so near half time got here as a blow to Serbia and so they struggled to claim themselves within the second half. Switzerland made a vibrant begin and scored a effectively labored objective to take the lead for the second time within the match. Remo Freuler despatched the goalkeeper the fallacious method following a pleasant flick by Embolo to present the Swiss the benefit.

Serbia huffed and puffed however didn’t put the Swiss defence below any fixed strain for the rest of the sport.

There was loads of stress all through the second half and issues threatened to boil over as tempers flared close to the top of the match. Granit Xhaka was pushed within the chest by Serbia’s Nikola Milenkovic and each gamers acquired a yellow card.

There was additionally an incident between Xhaka and Mitrovic because it shortly turned obvious Serbia weren’t going to attain the targets they wanted to progress.

Serbia began the sport positively and will simply have gone in a half time successful the match. The concession of an equalising objective so near half time dealt a large blow to their confidence.

Switzerland got here out within the second half and calmed the sport down, making a double substitution within the 69th minute to shut out the match.

Switzerland progress to the spherical of 16 the place they’ll face Portugal. Serbia head residence having completed backside of the group with simply 1 level to their identify.