Switzerland 3-1 Turkey: Zuber, Shaqiri shine, Turkey end their Euro 2020 campaign

Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland, celebrates has goal against Turkey-Hakan Calhanoglu
Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland, celebrates has goal against Turkey-Hakan Calhanoglu /IMAGO

Switzerland hammered Turkey 3-1 to secure their first win of Euro 2020.

Switzerland battered the struggling Turkey 3-1 to secure their first win of the Euro 2020 campaign.

The Swiss, who were coming off a heavy defeat against Italy, showed their intentions right from the off, with striker Haris Seferovic opening the account within six minutes. Xherdan Shaqiri followed him with a brilliant strike to make it 2-0 as the Swiss concluded the first half on a high note.

Turkey halved the deficit through a stunning goal from Irfan Kahveci. However, the Swiss piled more pain on the visitors after Shaqiri found the nets for the second time.

However, Vladimir Petkovic’s side managed to secure third place in the table, with Wales edging out on the goal difference despite their defeat against Italy today.

Shaqiri steps up to the occasion

Shaqiri might have found himself down the pecking order of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, but when it comes to Switzerland, he is integral to their plans. Today’s performance could be probably the best of this season as the 29-year-old scored a match-winning brace that included a stunning right-footed strike from outside the box. Shaqiri had back to back not-so-impressive displays, but against the Turks, he proved how dangerous he could be to the opponents.

Steven Zuber, with a memorable performance in the midfield

Steven Zuber can be proud of his performance today after racking up three assists. The 29-year-old ran the show from the middle of the park as he was brilliant in the defensive and attacking phases. His numbers also show that only a few could have enjoyed such an all-around display.

Turkey campaign comes to an end

From being deemed as the tournament’s dark horses to suffering three consecutive defeats, Turkey, without a doubt, endured a horrendous campaign in Euro 2020. Senol Gunes’ side lacked the conviction from the very beginning of the tournament, although some exciting names in the squad made us think otherwise. Struggling against defensive blocks, getting exposed to counter attacks and being narrow-minded more often than not, the Turks failed to get the basics right, and manager Gunes will get his fair share of criticism.

Yann Sommer made some stunning saves

Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer stole the spotlight for his stupendous performance, although he couldn’t secure a clean sheet. Turks were forced to take long shots due to the compact defence of the hosts, but Sommer denied them with some flying saves. 

Swiss could have added more goals

Petkovic’s side had plenty of chances to add a few more goals. Xhaka’s freekick ended up hitting the post, and Embolo failed to utilise his opportunity inside the box. Now, the Swiss have been forced to wait to know their round of 16 fate because of the goal difference, which went in the favour of Wales.

???????????????????? ???? 1. ITALY—9 points 2. WALES—4 points 3. Switzerland—4 points 4. Turkey—0 points