Switzerland is in the round of 16 for the third time in a row and meets Portugal there. The team around match winner Remo Freuler won the explosive and dramatic final in Group G against Serbia 3:2 (2:2) and thus secured the last ticket for the knockout stages.
Xherdan Shaqiri (20th), Breel Embolo (44th) and Freuler (48th) let the “Nati” and their fans in Doha cheer. The goals of Aleksandar Mitrovic (26th) and Dusan Vlahovic (35th) were not enough for Serbia – “Beli Orlovi” (the white eagles) are eliminated.
Serbia vs Switzerland – there could only be one. And in front of 41,378 spectators, the Swiss national coach Murat Yakin had to unintentionally switch to two sensitive positions in this politically charged “final”. Central defender Nico Elvedi was absent with a cold, as was his Mönchengladbach club colleague Yann Sommer – Gregor Kobel played for him. In addition to the Borussia Dortmund keeper, three other Bundesliga professionals were in the starting XI in Silvan Widmer (Mainz), Ruben Vargas (Augsburg) and Djibril Sow (Frankfurt).
And Switzerland got off to a lightning start: Breel Embolo and Xhaka failed after just 20 and 22 seconds to Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who made a strong save. On the other side, Andrija Zivkovic (11th) hit the post, the expected, thrilling, intense duel developed – it went back and forth in the Stadion 974. In no other game of the World Cup so far have there been more cards, overall referee Fernando drew Rapallini ten yellows.
Serbia turns the game – Switzerland finds the perfect answer
Shaqiri’s opening goal, who is now the first Swiss to score in three World Cups, was beautifully equalized by Mitrovic’s header. Then Vlahovic stabbed, Embolo countered – what a drama. Freuler then made up for his mistakes before conceding two goals with his goal after strong support from Vargas.
Both teams gave nothing, both wanted the victory badly. Because: In 2018, the Confederates played against Serbia in the preliminary round. The game escalated, sports and politics mixed up. Because with Granit Xhaka and Shaqiri, who is also of Albanian origin, the emotions boiled over after the winning goal to make it 2: 1, they formed their hands into wings as they cheered, their thumbs connected: a double-headed eagle. The heraldic animal of the Albanians as a clear political message and provocation in the direction of Serbia, which to this day does not recognize the Albanian-populated Kosovo. Both received a fine.
This time the Serbs in Qatar provoked a riot. Photos of a nationalist flag had emerged from the cabin. The outlines of Kosovo were shown there in Serbian national colors, and the FIFA Disciplinary Committee initiated proceedings against the Serbian association.
Tensions were now felt on the pitch in Doha as well – Xhaka even sparked a riot with an obscene gesture. In stoppage time, things went up again.