Xherdan Shaqiri is Switzerland’s second-highest national team player of all time, and the country’s fourth-highest goalscorer of all time.
But now the former Bayern Munich and Liverpool player, who now resides in the American MLS, is questionable and had to spend the entire 3-1 match against Hungary on the bench.
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But tonight, when Switzerland faced Scotland, he was back in the starting XI.
And then he did what he had done 31 times before for the Swiss national team: Goal.
Schär scored an own goal
In the 26th minute of the match, he took care of a Scottish clearance and fired a strike, from just outside the penalty area circle, the ball at a perfect angle into the crossbar.
The goal meant 1-1, as Scotland took the lead barely 13 minutes earlier when the Swiss defender Fabian Schär controlled a shot by Scott McTominay in his own goal.
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Here Scotland takes the lead via an own goal. Photo: Martin Meissner
Embolo goal disallowed
Shaqiri’s goal ended up being the last of the match. However, a number of hot chances were created, especially from Switzerland, in the closing stages of the match. Substitute Breel Embolo also nicely chipped a ball into the goal in the 82nd minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Switzerland now has four points, and is extremely close to a playoff spot. For Scotland, who lost heavily against Germany in the first round, victory against Hungary in the final round will be a must for them to reach the play-offs.
European Championship
Scotland
1 – 1
Switzerland