Euro 2020 - Switzerland 3-1 Turkey: Xherdan Shaqiri double helps see off sorry Turks in Baku
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ByEurosport
Updated 20/06/2021 at 18:38 GMT
Euro 2020 Group A, Baku Olympic Stadium – Switzerland 3 (Seferovic 6', Shaqiri 26', 68') Turkey 1 (Kahveci 62')
Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates
Image credit: Getty Images
Switzerland beat Turkey 3-1 in the final game in Group A to finish third in Group A.
The Swiss team publicly apologised for their poor performance against Italy, and quickly went about getting redemption with two first-half goals in Baku.
The first was off the back of a decent spell of possession from Turkey, who started the game brightly but were undone by a neat Haris Seferovic finish, the number nine producing a brilliant low drive into the far corner.
Twenty minutes later Xherdan Shaqiri produced a moment of magic. Once again the Turkish defence sat off the forward, which gave him time to pick out the top corner of the net leaving Ugurcan Cakır rooted to the spot.
In the second half the Swiss started quickly, but found their lead cut to just one goal after Irfan Kahveci found space on the edge of the box and curled the ball past Yann Sommer into the top corner.
But the Swiss responded quickly through Shaqiri who rifled his first time shot into the back of the net after a neat counter-attack.
Despite their valiant effort to grab more goals to increase their goal difference - and overhaul Wales, who lost 1-0 to Italy - the scoreline remained at 3-1 to leave the Swiss in third spot. History suggests that four points will be enough to qualify, but they must now wait on the other groups to finish to see if it is enough.
TALKING POINTS - THE SWISS FIND THEIR SHOOTING BOOTS
It could well be too little too late for Swiss, as they now have to wait to see if their three goals will be enough to earn them a spot in the knockout stages as one of the best third placed teams. But their fans will be wondering why they haven’t produced this type of football earlier on in the tournament, their neat passing and intelligent play made sure that Turkey were on that back foot for much of the game.
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Haris Seferovic of Switzerland celebrates with teammate Granit Xhaka
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH - XHERDAN SHAQIRI (SWITZERLAND)
Starved of game time for Liverpool and question marks over his performances in the first two group games, Shaqiri went about proving his doubters wrong. He was a constant threat throughout the game, with clever runs and quick footwork. But he really showed his quality when he was gifted time and space. His first goal was sublime and his second showed his technique to keep his first time shot down.
PLAYER RATINGS
Switzerland: Sommer 7, Elvedi 6, Akanji 6, Rodríguez 6, Widmer 6, Freuler 6, Xhaka 7, Zuber 6, Shaqiri 9, Seferovic 8, Embolo 7.
Turkey: Cakir 6, Zeki Celik 5, Demiral 5, Soyuncu 5, Muldur 6, Ayhan 5, Under 5, Tufan 5, Kahveci 7, Calhanoglu 5, Yilmaz 6.
KEY MOMENTS
6’ - GOAL! Switzerland 1-0 Turkey (Seferovic): It's an early goal for the Swiss, an emphatic finish from Seferovic from the edge of the box. The number nine swivels on the spot to make a yard of space and unleashes a low drive into the corner of the net.
26’ - GOAL! Switzerland 2-0 Turkey (Shaqiri): Shaqiri produces a moment of magic as he curls an effort into the top corner, he was given too much time and space and punishes Turkey.
28’ - SAVE! Çakir makes a save as Shaqiri bursts toward the Turkish goal having been played through by Seferovic. The Goalkeeper just manages to get a foot to the shot and stops the third goal from going in.
59’ - SAVE! Çakir just gets a finger tip to Seferovic shot which was creeping into the corner of the net.
62’ - GOAL! Switzerland 2-1 Turkey (Kahveci): Turkey have got a goal. A fabulous strike from Kahveci who lifts the ball past Sommer into the top corner.
68’ - GOAL! Switzerland 3-1 Turkey (Shaqiri): The Swiss counter attack punishes the Turkey defence. Shaqiri is slipped in and he makes no mistakes and hits his shot first time to rifle it past Cakir.
KEY STATS
- Haris Seferovic and Xherdan Shaqiri are the first Swiss players to score a goal from outside the box at the European Championships
- Xherdan Shaqiri is now Switzerland's outright top goalscorer at major tournaments (World Cup + Euros), with his second goal today his seventh for his country.
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