Surprise starters Duah and Aebischer shine as Switzerland dominate Hungary 3-1 in their Euro opener. Clinical finishing and a resolute defense secure a dream start for the Swiss.
Switzerland vs Hungary (Image via Getty)
New Delhi: Switzerland kicked off its Euro 2024 campaign with a winning start with a 3-1 victory over Hungary in their Group A opener at Cologne Stadium. The Swiss led with an inspired performance and showcased their prowess in front of a jubilant crowd. Let’s take a look at the major key highlights from the match.
Surprise stars deliver for Switzerland
As the action began, the surprise pick in the starting lineup of Kwadwo Duah and Michel Aebischer by Swiss manager Vladimir Petkovic paid off well. Both the youngsters amazed the football world with their stellar performances. Kwadwo Duah gave Switzerland an early lead in the 12th minute of the match with his first international goal.
Just before halftime, another surprise starter Aebischer found the net and scored another goal in the 45th minute. Before halftime, the Swiss were already leading the scoreboard by 2-0.
Hungary fight back
The Dark Horses Hungary came out with a renewed purpose in the second half. Barnabas Varga with his header managed to pull a goal back in the 66th minute of the game for the team. The goal sparked hope for the Hungarian side but the Swiss defense held firm.
With momentum firmly in Switzerland’s favor they were marshalled by the experienced trio of Xhaka, Shaqiri and Embolo and remained resolute in the later stages of the game. They continued to press forward and capitalize on Hungary’s defensive lapses. Their dominance was undiscovered as in the added time Breel Embolo made sure of the win when he scored on the counterattack with a lob over the goalkeeper.
As the final whistle blew, Switzerland celebrated a well-deserved 3-1 victory, marking a successful start to the campaign. The Swiss supporters erupted in joy acknowledging their team’s performance.
Looking Ahead
This convincing win has set the tone for Switzerland’s Euro 2024 journey. The surprise inclusion of Duah and Aebischer in the starting XI and their presence on the scoresheet add another dimension to their attacking side while the experience of Xhaka, Shaqiri and Embolo provides overall stability.
Hungary on the contrary despite their second half resurgence will need to sharpen their finishing and tighten up their defense if they have to progress in the tournament.
What next…
With the win, Switzerland immediately secured second place in Group A and are currently behind the leaders Germany on goal difference. Both sides will return to action on Wednesday, June 19, as the Hungarian battle hosts Germany at Stuttgart’s MHPArena, while Switzerland will return to the RheinEnergie Stadium in Cologne to battle Scotland.
After facing their first defeat in a competitive game after almost two years, Hungary needs to pull their socks in order to beat the host nation Germany as they entered the campaign with a 5-1 win over Scotland showing their dominant side. On the contrary, Switzerland needs to keep their momentum to claim a win over Scotland in the next match.
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