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The 2018 FIFA World Cup continued on Friday, June 22 evening with Switzerland scoring a 2-1 comeback win over Serbia at the Kaliningrad Stadium.
The match kicked off at a fast pace and after misses at both ends it was Serbia who went ahead in the 5th minute as Tadic after a Swiss mistake found Aleksandar Mitrovic, who headed past Yann Sommer into the Swiss goal.
The game continued at the fast pace with chances at both ends, but no more goals as Switzerland now had more of the ball but Serbia always remained dangerous and they took a deserving 1-0 lead into the break.
Mitrovic again had an early chance in the second session, but in the 52nd minute at the other end Granit Xhaka equalised with a lovely long-ranger for Switzerland and the Nati were suddenly the better side with Xherdan Shaqiri’s turning effort hitting the post only six minutes later.
Thereafter Serbia were back with attacking intent as they realised that three points against Switzerland were better than a draw having to face Brazil in their final game. In the 66th minute, VAR did not step in as Mitrovic was sandwiched between two Swiss defenders as referee Dr. Brych didn’t think it was a valid penalty and the VAR officials seemed to think likewise.
Towards the end both teams played for a win, with especially Serbia allowing the Swiss space at the back and it would haunt them in the 90th minute as a perfect through ball found Shaqiri, who went straight towards the goal beating his marker and placing it past Stojkovic into the Serbian net. A memorable 2-1 win for Switzerland against Serbia, which puts them in a good position to reach the knockout stages, while Serbia will only have to beat Brazil to stay in the tournament.
FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 – Group E
Serbia 1-2 (1-0) Switzerland
Goals: 1-0 Aleksandar Mitrovic (5′), 1-1 Granit Xhaka (52′), 1-2 Xherdan Shaqiri (90′)
Serbia: Stojkovic – Ivanovic, Milenkovic, D. Tosic, Kolarov – Matic, Milivojevic (81′ Radonjic) – Tadic, Milinkovic-Savic, Kostic (64′ Ljajic) – Mitrovic
Subs: Dmitrovic, Rajkovic, Rodic, Rukavina, Spajic, Veljkovic, Grujic, Zivkovic, Jovic, Prijovic
Switzerland: Sommer – Lichtsteiner, Schär, Akanji, R. Rodriguez – Behrami, G. Xhaka – Shaqiri, Dzemaili (73′ Embolo), Zuber (90’+4 Drmic) – Seferovic (46′ Gavranovic)
Subs: Bürki, Mvogo, Djourou, Elvedi, Lang, Moubandjé, G. Fernandes, Freuler, Zakaria
Referee: Dr. Felix Brych (Germany)
Man of the Match: Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland)
