Curious scene after the last goal
Bayer star Xhaka leads Switzerland to “brutally important victory”
15.06.2024, 17:18
Perfect start to the European Football Championship for Switzerland too: In a duel between Germany’s group opponents, the Swiss defeated Hungary. The Swiss were superior in the first half, but then the Hungarians fought back. A former Bundesliga striker destroyed all hopes.
Granit Xhaka was still leading his team even as they walked into the roaring Swiss fan curve. The outstanding double hero from Bayer Leverkusen finally gathered everyone together for the Mexican wave after the “Nati”‘s dream start to the European Championship: his teammates and the proud coach Murat Yakin. Switzerland has emphatically recommended itself for the round of 16 in German Group A with a 3-1 (2-0) win against Hungary – thanks to its combative captain and two goal debutants.
“It’s extremely important to start with a win,” said Xhaka, who directed brilliantly in Cologne, won duels and distributed the ball cleverly. However, the deserved opening goal was scored by another player with experience of playing in Germany: former Nuremberg player Kwadwo Duah (12th) made the Swiss celebrate the early 1-0. Shortly before half-time, Michel Aebischer (45th) increased the lead – both had saved their first goals for the national team for the start of the European Championship. “I’m still dreaming! I’m exploding inside, I still can’t believe it,” said Duah on Swiss television, “it will probably take a few more days before I realise it.”
The Hungarians, who reduced the deficit through Barnabas Varga (66th), were disappointing and are under pressure ahead of the second group match against Germany on Wednesday (6 p.m./ARD and MagentaTV as well as in the live ticker at ntv.de). Breel Embolo (90th+3) made it the final score and provided a curious scene – he lost a bandage that he almost tripped over.
The Swiss are currently in second place in the Group A table behind Germany. The DFB team opened the tournament on Friday in Munich with a brilliant 5:1 win against an overwhelmed Scots. Switzerland’s duel against the hosts on June 23rd will mark the end of the group phase – if Xhaka has his way, his team will have already secured their place in the next round.
Switzerland shows its class with the opening goal
The captain had stressed in the run-up to the tournament that getting through the group stage was the minimum goal. But his team wanted to take it step by step and game by game – similar to what he did at club level with Bayer Leverkusen in an outstanding season.
Switzerland had control from the start against Hungary – and Mainz’s Silvan Widmer made his mark with a yellow card for a foul (5th minute). The Hungarians, led by Dominik Szoboszlai, who became the youngest captain in European Championship history at the age of 23 years, seven months and 21 days, had problems with the Swiss’ powerful game.
But Switzerland showed its class when it took the lead: Aebischer passed the ball precisely to Duah, who scored the 1-0 goal in front of Leipzig’s Peter Gulasci. The Hungarians tried to respond, but they were far too slow and imprecise. Xhaka and co. were always in control in midfield. Augsburg’s Ruben Vargas missed the chance to make it 2-0 (20′), but Aebischer made it: the 27-year-old was able to calmly position the ball and scored.
The Swiss continued to control the game after the break: Duah (48th) and Vargas (54th) missed opportunities to make it 3-0. This came back to haunt them when Varga used one of the few good attacks to equalize for Hungary and ensured an exciting final phase.