Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland scores their side’s second goal during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group A match between Switzerland and Turkey at Baku Olimpiya Stadionu on June 20, 2021 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Switzerland gave themselves a superb chance of qualifying for the last 16 of Euro 2020 as one of the best third-placed sides with a superb victory that sends Turkey home without a point to their name.
Needing a win in Baku to stand any chance of progression, the Swiss produced by far their best display of the tournament – one that could and probably should have yielded a bigger and more rewarding win.
Xherdan Shaqiri and Haris Seferovic were the goalscoring heroes, silencing those who had questioned their places in the side with a collection of fine goals, all of them assisted by Steven Zuber.
The first of Shaqiri’s brace – to make it 2-0 in the first half – was especially good, the Liverpool man curling in from the edge of the box.
Equally as important was Yann Sommer in the Swiss goal, who produced a string of good saves to keep a much-improved Turkey at bay, especially in the first half.
At the other end, Ugurcan Cakir was just as impressive, saving numerous times to frustrate a Swiss side who knew that a Wales loss in Italy and a five-goal swing would give them second in the group.
Turkey were able to score their first goal of the tournament and a fine one it was too, Irfan Can Kahveci smashing in a long-range drive to briefly narrow the score to 2-1.
But having been many people’s ill-judged dark horses for the tournament, they exit with a humbling zero points and a goal difference of minus seven.
Switzerland must now wait for the group games to be completed to see if their efforts will be enough to send them through.
Share this content:
