{"id":22028,"date":"2021-06-20T15:43:47","date_gmt":"2021-06-20T19:43:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22028"},"modified":"2021-06-21T13:45:46","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T17:45:46","slug":"shaqiri-scores-twice-as-swiss-defeat-turks-to-finish-third-in-group-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22028","title":{"rendered":"Shaqiri Scores Twice As Swiss Defeat Turks To Finish Third In Group A"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Xherdan Shaqiri scored twice as Switzerland beat Turkey 3-1 in Baku to keep their Euro 2020 round of 16 hopes alive.<\/p>\n

Liverpool forward Shaqiri gave Switzerland a 2-0 half-time lead after team-mate Haris Seferovic had opened the scoring and added his second after Irfan Can Kahveci\u2019s long-range effort for Turkey had reduced the deficit.<\/p>\n

The Swiss, beaten 3-0 by Italy last Wednesday after drawing 1-1 with Wales in their opening match, needed to win to stand any chance of progression.<\/p>\n

Turkey head home after three straight defeats, having lost to Italy and Wales without scoring in their first two matches.<\/p>\n

Seferovic gave Switzerland a flying start, firing home a clinical finish into the bottom corner in the sixth minute.<\/p>\n

Shaqiri doubled the Swiss\u2019 lead 20 minutes later with a superb curling effort to lift their hopes of completing a five-goal swing and overhauling Wales into second spot.<\/p>\n

Turkey got themselves back into the match just after the hour-mark when Kahveci lashed a shot into the top corner from outside the box.<\/p>\n

But Switzerland restored their two-goal lead soon after when Shaqiri provided a first-time finish at the end of a sweeping counter-attack.<\/p>\n

Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Steven Zuber provided the assists for all of Switzerland\u2019s goals and went close to adding to the scoring himself on three occasions.<\/p>\n

Turkey were much improved after two dismal displays against Italy and Wales and Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer pulled off a series of fine saves, three of them to keep out first-half efforts from defender Mert Mldr.<\/p>\n

Switzerland were also denied on several occasions by outstanding Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir as both sides created a combined 41 attempts on goal.<\/p>\n

Turkey failed to muster a rousing finale and exit the tournament without a point and just one goal to their name.<\/p>\n

Switzerland must now wait for the other groups to be completed before learning whether they qualify for the knockout stages as one of the four best third-placed teams.<\/p>\n

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