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Switzerland too good for determined Serbia

Switzerland look set to make the knockout rounds. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)
Roar Guru
22nd June, 2018
2

Switzerland have managed to become the first team at the 2018 World Cup to win having gone behind, coming away 2-1 victors over Serbia in a thrilling tussle in Kaliningrad.

In a tight affair, there were chances a plenty, creating a thrilling and tense affair that the impartial bystander would have thoroughly enjoyed.

Click here to re-live The Roar’s live blog.

Serbia opened the match the harder and faster of the two teams, with opening chances shortly converted by Aleksandar Mitrovic, who bulleted a header into the net to give the Serbians the lead.

The remainder of the half was the story of possession dominance by the Swiss, holding onto the ball close to 70 per cent of the time.

The first half was also a story of Serbian aggression in the middle of the park, as the centre midfield trio of Luka Milivojevic, Sergej Milinkovoc-Savic, and Namenja Matic, all picked up first half yellow cards, putting their participation in the match (and possibly the tournament) on edge.

However, it was Serbia who led at half-time.

The second half belonged to Switzerland though, Granit Xhaka scoring with a world class strike from distance, to give Switzerland parity.

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Switzerland always looked the more likely to score, though that is not to say that Serbia did not have their chances.

In fact, Serbia will rightly feel that they should have had a second half penalty, Mitrovic being confusingly called for a foul on Swiss defenders, when it was the attacker who was being held by not one, but two opponents in the area, and ultimately dragging him to the ground.

Still, the possession dominance and clearer chances were characteristic of a Swiss team that played controlled and attacking football.

The Swiss continued to press, and an end to end contest ultimately provided the platform for Xherdan Shaqiri to break away and, though under pressure from the defender, slot the ball past the Serbian keeper, and seal the victory for the Swiss outfit.

Shaqiri picking up Switzerland’s only yellow card for the game for an unnecessary goal celebration that involved the removal of his shirt.

So while both these teams remain alive in this World Cup, with Brazil earning a win earlier against Costa Rica and ending the Central American’s tournament, it is the Brazilians and the Swiss who would now be favoured to advance to the knockout phase.

An exciting and gripping contest has been witnessed here in Kaliningrad, emblematic of a tournament thus far that has continued to deliver the thrills and quality.

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