Switzerland Reached World Cup knockout round for third consecutive tournament after 3-2 overtime win Serbia to be the runners-up in Group G on Friday and set up a Round of 16 clash with portugal,
In a contest that ebbed and flowed at breakneck speed in the first half at Stadium 974, sherdan shaqiri Put Switzerland ahead but Serbia quickly scored twice within 10 minutes Alexander Mitrovic And dusan vlahovic to turn the game on its head.
, Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)
breel embolo Another twist in an absorbing opening period, the Swiss side pulled level just before the break remo freer scored three minutes after the restart and again restored their one-goal advantage.
Switzerland fired warning shots as captain with barely 30 seconds on the clock granite facadeThe strike was blocked by the Serbian defense before the goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic Embolo and Xhaka were both denied one by one on the rebound.
Serbia enjoyed the pressure after that initial scare Nikola Milenkovic is wider than dusan tadicbefore the corner of andrija zivkovic Took aim from outside the penalty area and rattled the left post with a powerful effort.
Ricardo RodriguezIn the 20th minute Ka’s cross was cleared and fell jibril so, who selected Shaqiri from the right. Midfielder hits home, takes a slight deflection strahinja pavlovic going to the net.
fulham Frontman Mitrovic headed in Tadic’s cross six minutes later to deservedly draw level for Serbia. Tadic was involved again and slotted the ball through to Vlahovic, who slotted his shot low past the goalkeeper. Gregor Kobel To complete the Serbian variation.
but embolo left home sylvan widmerIn the 44th minute, Lo Cross and Freiller kept the momentum going by tapping in the fifth goal of the evening as two brilliant moves from the Swiss attack proved to be Serbia’s undoing.
In the middle of the second half, Mitrovic went down too easily after a challenge Fabian Schaer But his appeal for a penalty was turned down and the Serbian dugout spilled onto the pitch in protest of the referee’s decision.
Switzerland finished with six points, level with Group G winners Brazil But behind on goal difference. Serbia, who needed a win to give themselves a chance to advance, finished bottom of the group with just one point. They have never progressed beyond the group stage of a World Cup since the breakup of Yugoslavia.
