After a crazy encounter, Switzerland has extended its season ticket for the knockout stages of major tournaments by qualifying for the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup on Friday evening, and will face Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.
Taking to the grass of the 974 stadium in Doha, Granit Xhaka’s Switzerland knew that a draw against Serbia would be enough to win their second Group G ticket for the round of 16 behind Brazil.
Reduced by the absences of his usual goalkeeper Yann Sommer and his centre-back Nico Elvedi, both of whom have been ill for two days, ‘Nati’ experienced a holy emotional upheaval in this encounter.
They started by taking the lead in the 20th minute, a goal that gave them air thanks to Shaqiri, whose celebration was sober right in front of the Serbian fans, with a finger on his mouth which was targeted by boos from the Serbian crowd.
But two big mistakes gave Serbia the chance to take the lead thanks to the two forwards Aleksander Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic, effectively eliminating Switzerland in their favor.
However, it lasted just nine minutes before Embolo equalized just before half-time. And on his return from the changing rooms, at the end of a superb movement between Embolo, Shaqiri and Ruben Vargas, Remo Freuler scored the Swiss winning goal.
“We were solely responsible for the goals conceded. The team showed reaction. The longer the match progressed, the more strength we had against the opponent,” said Murat Yakin.
Thus Nati climbs for the fifth consecutive time to the knockout stage in an important championship (Euro and World Cup).
“I’m super proud of the team. I’m happy for the nation,” Yakin said after the match.
His selection will have to achieve the feat against Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo to reach the quarter-finals, as he did 18 months ago at Euro-2021.
Small increase in voltage
“We know Portugal from the League of Nations, but they are one of the best teams in the tournament. It will be a difficult mission. If we continue to play as a team like this, we have our chances,” commented Christian Fassnacht after the match.
“They are the favourites, but in a knockout match anything is possible,” said Murat Yakin.
This match between Switzerland and Serbia has come under close scrutiny, just over four years after the controversy surrounding the World Cup group stage match between the two selections in the summer of 2018 in Russia.
At the time, the celebrations for the two Swiss goals by captain Granit Xhaka and the inventive Nati winger Xherdan Shaqiri, mimicking the double-headed eagle symbol of Greater Albania, had made those who come from Kosovo, a former province populated by Albanians, talk which declared its independence in 2008 and which Belgrade has never recognized.
The match in Doha was calm for a good hour before tempers flared, the match referee handing out a total of eleven yellow cards, including six in the last ten minutes.
After some tension, everything went well at the final whistle, with hugs between the two teams.
In the 78th minute the stadium announcer still had to make a microphone call “to stop any discriminatory songs or gestures”.
Thomas BACH/AFP
