Key occasions
77 min Proper, again to the match. Serbia make the final of their adjustments, Tadic and Zivkovic making manner for Filip Duricic and Nemanja Radonjic.
Vibhanshu Bisht has an fascinating contribution to make. “I ponder if it has been seen that that is the primary time that every one six of the inhabited continents are represented within the knockout levels?” Is that true? Can somebody truth test that? It’s devastating information for Antarctica if that’s the case.
Pete Mumola has a response to some earlier correspondence. “Let Mary Waltz know there aren’t any geniuses at Fifa. That wasn’t honest to toss a trick query to the MBM host whereas the targets are pouring in!”
A flurry of emails has landed. Colum Fordham says: “Mitrovic ought to audition for Rada. Excellent piece of appearing as he dramatically fell over within the penalty space after the lightest of touches. Want Shaqiri was nonetheless taking part in for Liverpool. Superb participant.”
Richard Hirst is understandably puzzled. “I missed the primary half, however see that neither Xhaka nor Shaqiri has been booked. How is that this attainable?”
68 min Murat Yakin, the Switzerland coach, makes his first adjustments of the match. Shaqiri and Sow are off – the previous to a ultimate refrain of whistles – for Edimilson Fernandes and Denis Zakaria.
67 min Stojkovic makes one other substitution, bringing on Nemanja Maksimovic for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in midfield.
66 min There’s a flare-up on the sidelines and Serbia’s substitutes briefly encroach on to the pitch earlier than the referee, Fernando Rapallini, regains management. Predrag Rajkovic is booked for his half within the commotion, although it’s not fully clear what it was about.
64 min Mitrovic needs a penalty after the slightest of touches from Schär, who thinks about pulling him again however, ultimately, barely brushes his shoulder. Unsurprisingly, there’s nothing doing.
60 min Switzerland fail to clear their traces and the ball falls for Tadic, however he blazes over the crossbar.
56 min Large miss! Freuler performs the free kick brief to Manuel Akanji. He crosses to the far publish and the ball finally ends up with Embolo, who blazes over from barely 5 yards. The flag goes up for offside, however nonetheless.
55 min Pavlovic is booked for catching Embolo barely late with a excessive boot. He fouls Freuler moments later to offer away a free kick in a harmful place.
54 min Dragan Stojkovic, the Serbia supervisor, makes a double change, Vlahovic and Milos Veljkovic swapping out for Luka Jovic and Nemanja Gudelj.
53 min The 2 sides change fouls in midfield, Xhaka avoiding a reserving after clattering into Tadic.
Mary Waltz writes in. “Sport Three within the group stage has produced wonderful drama and stress. Who’s the genius at Fifa who determined the four-team format was now not match for objective?”
GOAL! Serbia 2-3 Switzerland (Freuler 48)
Freuler makes up for his earlier error, rounding off a beautiful staff transfer to place Switzerland again in entrance. Embolo holds up the ball earlier than teeing up Shaqiri on the sting of the world. He clips a ball excessive to Vargas, who flicks it on to Freuler for a deceptively simple end.
46 min Sergej Milinkovic-Savic picks up Serbia’s first warning after crunching into Xhaka in midfield.
Second half kicks off
We’re again in motion at Stadium 974.
The gamers are again out on the pitch. Who’s prepared for an additional 45 minutes (plus quarter-hour of added time) of chaos?
Right here’s a enjoyable stat from Opta. Shaqiri is considered one of three gamers to attain at every of the final three World Cup tournaments, together with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Not too shabby, that.
Loving these reader contributions, hold ‘em coming. Subsequent up, Kari Tulinius. “This match has been entertaining sufficient that I’ll lastly have the ability to forgive Switzerland for his or her half in probably the most terrible recreation of soccer I’ve ever seen, their [last 16] World Cup match in opposition to Ukraine in 2006. I realise it’s been a minute since then, however that was such a boring spectacle that point stopped passing and people of us who watched are nonetheless caught there like astronauts in a black gap.”
One other e-mail has landed, this time from Joe Harvey. “You’ll not see two higher examples of motion and persistence creating targets than the Mitrovic and Embolo targets. Very nice from each of them.”
Richard Hirst has shared some ideas by way of e-mail. “As a Fulham supporter I’m totally conflicted. On the one hand I would like Serbia to undergo in order that Mitro is blissful, scoring targets and so forth. Alternatively I would like Serbia to exit in order that Mitro comes again to Fulham unhurt, has a relaxation and so forth. Because the Stones stated, what can a poor boy do?”
Half-time
Brazil are drawing 0-0 with Cameroon within the different recreation in Group G which suggests, as issues stand, Switzerland will undergo as runners-up. Nonetheless, on the proof of the primary half, it’s far too early to put in writing off Serbia. Whereas the Swiss made a quick begin, their opponents wrested management of the match and Embolo’s equaliser arguably got here in opposition to the run of play.
GOAL! Serbia 2-2 Switzerland (Embolo 44)
They might have been sloppy in possession, however Switzerland are again on degree phrases. Sow picks out Widmer on the overlap and he thrashes the ball throughout the face of objective, with Embolo ready to use a easy end on the far publish.
42 min Switzerland have been actually, actually sloppy in possession. Rodríguez is the most recent participant to lose the ball in the midst of the park, heading straight to a cluster of pink shirts.
Jeff Sachs writes in. “… sure, France will win …” Why the cryptic punctuation, Jeff? And might all of us cease speaking about France, please? There’s a soccer match happening right here.
38 min Rodríguez will get to the byline and cuts the ball again for Vargas, whose shot is blocked.
GOAL! Serbia 2-1 Switzerland (Vlahovic 35)
That’s a beautiful end. Switzerland lose the ball in midfield and Tadic dances forwards. He slips a scrumptious by way of ball to Dusan Vlahovic, however Remo Freuler will get there first. In a head-in-hands second, Freuler can solely poke it again into Vlahovic’s path. The Juventus ahead thanks him kindly by stroking the ball into the again of the online.
33 min It’s getting a little bit spicy now. Vargas is booked for chopping down Zivkovic.
Aditi Modi writes in. “Shaqiri scoring in opposition to Serbia is one blast from the 2018 previous. Together with Germany getting eradicated on the group stage, does that imply France win the entire thing once more?”
29 min Shaqiri is inches away from scoring a second! A good looking lengthy ball from Ricardo Rodríguez falls properly for the little winger, however a last-ditch problem from Strahinja Pavlovic is sufficient to pressure his shot narrowly broad.
GOAL! Serbia 1-1 Switzerland (Mitrovic 26)
Given a second probability because of Switzerland’s lax defending, Tadic produces a near-identical ball into the field. This time, Mitrovic meets it and sends a header looping previous Kobel and into the far nook.
24 min Dusan Tadic makes a yard of house with a intelligent flip in midfield and dinks an inviting ball into the world, however it’s cleared.
GOAL! Serbia 0-1 Switzerland (Shaqiri 20)
Shaqiri who, together with Xhaka, has maybe the largest private funding on this fixture, has been whistled relentlessly by the Serbia followers for the primary 20 minutes. Sadly for them, he’s simply scored the opener. A routine ball into the field is cleared so far as Djibril Sow, who tees up Shaqiri to his proper. He lashes previous Vanja Milinkovic-Savic earlier than charging off in the direction of the nook flag along with his finger held firmly to his lips.
17 min Embolo bursts forwards from deep as soon as once more, however is stopped abruptly by a deal with from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The Switzerland ahead goes tumbling to the turf, however no foul is forthcoming.
14 min Silvan Widmer will get the primary reserving of the night after hauling down Filip Kostic out broad.
11 min Embolo powers forwards from deep and releases Ruben Vargas to his left. He cuts the ball again to Xhaka, whose shot is blocked.
10 min Serbia hit the publish! Andrija Zivkovic gallops into house and unleashes a shot from distance which rattles the upright. The rebound falls for Aleksandar Mitrovic, however he can solely information the ball into Kobel’s arms at shut vary.
4 min Serbia win the primary nook of the sport and Nikola Milenkovic will get a free header, however fails to direct it heading in the right direction.
1 min We’re not even 30 seconds into the match and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic has been known as upon to make a double save. Xherdan Shaqiri latches onto a unfastened ball and dinks a go excessive to Breel Embolo, who’s denied at shut vary. Granit Xhaka has a go on the rebound, however Milinkovic-Savic throws his physique in the way in which as soon as once more.
Kick off!
We’re below manner in Ras Abu Aboud. Switzerland get issues began.
The nationwide anthems are over and achieved with. The large Serbian and Swiss flags have been folded up. The tracksuits are off. The ball is on the centre circle. These are all unmistakable indicators {that a} soccer match is about to start.
The groups are within the tunnel. We’ve received a little bit over 5 minutes till kick off.
Jim Fullton writes in, effortlessly displaying off his linguistic prowess. “Hopp Schwiiz. Allez la Suisse. Avanti Svizzera.”
Switzerland have given an replace on Yann Sommer and Nico Elvedi, neither of whom are within the squad tonight regardless of having began the final two video games. There’s a easy clarification, particularly that they’re each unwell. Gregor Kobel, the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper, and Fabian Schär, the Newcastle United centre-back, will stand in for them.
We now have our first little bit of e-mail correspondence. Hey, Matt Burtz! “As somebody who could or could not have positioned a wager on Switzerland to advance from this group, I want to see them win in the present day. Additionally, I’ve a season ticket to the Chicago Hearth, and I can report that although MLS just isn’t of the standard of many European leagues, Xherdan Shaqiri nonetheless has it on the comparatively younger age of 31. Watching him in individual permits you to see the way in which he at all times tries to make himself obtainable for a go, and he at all times has his head up trying to distribute. It’s actually fairly gratifying (even when the staff itself isn’t particularly potent).”
Right here’s some extra background on the human price of this World Cup, courtesy of Pete Pattisson.
Switzerland staff information
… and right here’s the Swiss beginning XI.
Serbia staff information
The staff sheets are in and right here’s how Serbia line up.
Past the soccer
As Qatar’s PR machine clunks alongside within the background, the tales of those that have suffered to make this match occur stay as necessary as ever. Right here’s some pre-match studying.
Preamble
Deep inside the nightmarish fever dream of this World Cup, one other soccer match is taking form. After a 2-0 defeat to Brazil and a chaotic 3-3 draw with Cameroon, Serbia arrive at Stadium 974 figuring out they’ll solely salvage their marketing campaign with a win mixed with a draw or defeat for the Cameroonians in opposition to Brazil. For Switzerland, who’re on three factors with one win and one loss, a draw shall be sufficient to complete as runners-up so long as Cameroon don’t trigger an upset. As if this match wanted one other level of rivalry, there are political tensions effervescent beneath the floor of this fixture: a number of Switzerland gamers have Albanian or Bosnian heritage which, given the bitter legacy of the Yugoslav Wars, means a recreation in opposition to Serbia has the potential for acrimony.