After taking the lead in the match through Scott McTominay, Scotland were brought back on level terms by a Xherdan Shaqiri worldie as Switzerland were held to a 1-1 draw by the Scots.
Scotland and Switzerland share the spoils in their Group A encounter. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
New Delhi: The second matchday two fixture from Group A took place in the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne as Scotland took on Switzerland in what was a crucial fixture for the Tartan Army. Having already been battered 5-1 by the hosts in the opening match of the tournament, the Scots needed a win from this game to keep their hopes of advancing to the next round alive.
On the other hand, Switzerland were coming off the back of a commanding 3-1 win over Hungary and were looking to secure their place in the knockouts with another win tonight. However, they came up against a resilient Scottish side that matched them toe-to-toe in a thrilling encounter that finished with a goal apiece.
Both managers started largely similar squads to what they fielded on the first matchday. Switzerland boss Murat Yakin made a solitary change to his side as Kwadwo Duah sat out as Swiss star man Xherdan Shaqiri returned to the starting XI. Meanwhile, Steve Clarke chose to replace the two Ryans from his team as Ryan Porteous was sent off against Germany, and Ryan Christie was dropped to the bench. Grant Hanley and Billy Gilmour also replaced them in the starting XI respectively.
Scotland were off to a brisk start as they looked to attack the Swiss goal right from the get-go. Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay was the main man for the Tartan Army as McTominay was involved in any decent chance that the Scots would create and he was the one who made sure that this early dominance from the Scots didn’t go in vain. Following a counter-attack from a Switzerland corner, Andy Robertson found Callum McGregor on the left, who played a perfect cut-back for McTominay, whose first-time shot went past Yann Sommer in goal, thanks to a wild deflection off Switzerland’s Fabian Schar.
Scott McTominay scored the first goal of the game to put his side ahead (Photo by Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)
However, the Scots couldn’t hold on to their lead for a long time as they were pegged back on level terms by a man who is known for scoring bangers at the UEFA European Championships, Xherdan Shaqiri. The Chicago Fire winger capitalized on a pass from Anthony Ralston and made sure that he made the Scotsman pay. Shaqiri unleashed a first-time left-footed shot that went right in the top corner leaving Angus Gunn with no chance of saving it.
The two teams each had a goal to show for their efforts as they headed into the tunnel at half-time and everything was left to play in the second. As the game progressed, Switzerland started to increase the pressure on the Scots but Angus Gunn in goal ensured that his side left Cologne with at least a point. As the game reached it’s dying moments, both teams pushed for a goal that eluded them throughout the match but ultimately, nothing could separate the two sides as the game finished 1-1.
Key highlights from the RheinEnergieStadion
Xherdan Shaqiri scores another banger at a UEFA Euro tournament. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
- Scotland won a couple of corners within the first five minutes of the game as McTominay threatened against the Swiss.
- Scott McTominay made his early dominance count as he put his side ahead in the 13th minute when he slotted home from a Callum McGregor cut-back, courtesy of a wicked deflection from Fabian Schar.
- Xherdan Shaqiri got his side back on level terms in the 26th minute as he curled a first-time shot past the Scottish keeper with a beautiful finish from outside the box.
- Switzerland continued to add pressure in the 32nd minute as Ndoye played a one-two with Vargas inside the penalty area. He cut back onto his right foot and tried to curl past the keeper, but Gunn made an outstanding save to palm his shot away.
- Switzerland had the ball in the net once again in the 34th minute as Vargas combined with Ndoye again. Ndoye got to the ball first, behind the Scottish defence and fired it past Gunn, but the goal was ruled out for offside
- It was Ndoye once again who was troubling the Scots as he got away from Kieran Tierney in the 59th minute and ended up in a one-on-one with Gunn the Scotland goalkeeper made an excellent save to stop his shot from going in.
- Tierney’s game, however, came to an abrupt end as he went to the ground after the tussle with Ndoye and was stretchered off the field.
- McTominay won a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area in the 65th minute. Robertson’s delivery found Hanely in the box, but his shot smashed against the post, sparing Switzerland’s blushes.
- Switzerland once again had the ball in the net in the 83rd minute as Embolo chipped the ball past Gunn but the Swiss speedster was deemed offside.
- In the dying moments, both teams were frantically looking for a goal but couldn’t find the back of the net again before the referee blew the final whistle.
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