Brilliant last-minute victory: Switzerland preserves its chance of reaching the round of 16

This means that all three teams can reach the knockout round on the last matchday - only Costa Rica, Switzerland's opponent, has no chance after two defeats.

In a politically charged encounter in which Xhaka provoked the Serbs with the controversial double-headed gesture after his goal in the 52nd minute, the Swiss fell behind thanks to an early goal from Aleksandar Mitrovic (5th). After half an hour, the Swiss were better in the game and increasingly dominating the game. Shaqiri, who repeated Xhaka's provocation (90th), ensured the deserved victory: After a quick counterattack, the Serbian defense appeared completely disorganized, which the lightning-fast Shaqiri took advantage of and shot Switzerland to a much-celebrated victory.

Xherdan Shaqiri scores the decisive 2-1 for Switzerland. © APA/afp / OZAN KOSE

With four points, Switzerland is only behind league leaders Brazil due to a poorer goal difference and has a place in the round of 3 in its own hands. Serbia (XNUMX points) will probably have to beat the Selecao next Wednesday to reach the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the first time. A draw against superstar Neymar and his Brazilians is only enough for Serbia if Switzerland loses against Costa Rica and the Serbs have a better goal difference than Switzerland. Provocation with double eagle cheers The game in front of 33.167 spectators in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad was explosive: The Swiss players Valon Behrami, Shaqiri and Xhaka all have Kosovo-Albanian roots, Blerim Dzemaili is of Albanian descent. In the run-up to the match, Shaqiri's football boots with the Kosovo flag caused a stir among Serbian fans and the media. Behrami, Shaqiri and Xhaka were whistled every time they touched the ball. Granit Xhaka (left) and Serbia's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. © APA/afp / PATRICK HERTZOG

Xhaka provoked by imitating the double-headed eagle, the Albanian heraldic animal, with his hands. The Arsenal midfielder has shown the gesture several times and has received a lot of criticism for it in Switzerland. Immediately after the goal, heated discussions broke out on social networks. He repeated the gesture with Shaqiri.

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Brilliant last-minute victory: Switzerland preserves its chance of reaching the round of 16

Switzerland has made the race for a place in the World Cup round of 1 an exciting three-way battle in Group E. After the 1-2 draw against Brazil, the “Nati” turned their second game against the unpleasant Serbs and won 1-0 (1-XNUMX) with goals from Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri.

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