Switzerland qualified for the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 after defeating Serbia 3-2 on the final day of the group stage. The Swiss needed a point in order to progress from the groups, and they did their job as they beat a stubborn and inspired Serbian side.
Xherdan Shaqiri opened the scoring for the Swiss, but minutes later Aleksandr Mitrovic pulled it back for Serbia. Dusan Vlahovic gave Serbia the lead in the 35th minute, but Breel Embolo brought it all back level on the brink of halftime.
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Remo Freuler scored his first goal in the finals just after the resumption of play in the 48th minute, a goal that would go on to be proven as the winner.
In an evenly contested match, the Serbs slightly outplayed the Swiss, but the Red Army was more efficient in their approach to the game.
Key Performances
Dusan Vlahovic: The Juventus striker gave Serbia a brief lead and a small glimmer of hope, but it wasn't to be for them.
Granit Xhaka: The Swiss captain was once again showcasing his best as he led his side to victory and to the Round of 16.
Dusan Tadic: The Ajax playmaker played his heart out for his team, but his magical moments would not be enough.
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Aftermath
With a victory over Serbia, Switzerland go through to the Round of 16 after finishing second in the group behind Brazil on 6 points. Serbia are eliminated with a single point, while Cameroon beat Brazil 1-0 in the other Group H match of the Qatar World Cup.