Switzerland secured its place in the 2022 World Cup Round of 16 with a dramatic 3-2 Group G final against Serbia in Doha.
Xherdan Shaqiri, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic, and Brill Embolo scored goals from both sides in the first 45 minutes of the game and the game was tied at 2-2 at the break.
However, the tempo dropped after the restart, as Remo Früller’s smart finish gave the Swiss the edge in the closing stages, with Murat Yakin’s side digging deep to get over the line.
Switzerland will now play Portugal in the knockout stages, while group winners Brazil will play South Korea.
Serbia vs Switzerland Score
| Team | 1H | 2H | Final |
| Serbia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Goals:
SWI – Shaqiri – 20th Min
SER – Mitrovic – 25th Min
SER – Vlahovic – 36th Min
SWI – Embolo – 44th Min
SWI – Freuler – 49th Min
Estimated lineups:
Serbia predicted lineup (3-4-2-1, right to left): 23. V. Milinkovic-Savic (GK) — 4. Milinkovic, 5. Veljkovic, 2. Pavlovic — 14. Zivkovic, 6. Maximovic, 16. Lukic, 17. Kostic – 10. Tadic, 20. S. Milinkovic-Savic – 9. Mitrovic.
Switzerland predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Sommer (GK) — 3. Widmer, 5. Akanji, 4. Elvedi, 13. Rodriguez — 8. Früller, 10. Jaka — 11. Stephen, 15. So, 17. Vargas – 7. Embolo.
Serbia vs Switzerland Live Updates, 2022 World Cup Highlights
FULL TIME: SERBIA 2 SWITZERLAND 3!!!!
After defeating Serbia 3-2 in Doha, Switzerland reached the last place in the round of 16!!
Four first-half goals set the tone for an incredible night at the Stadio 974, but Remo Früller’s second-half goal sent the Swiss into the knockouts, where they will face Portugal.
90+8th minute: A late chance for Serbia but Radonjic slashes wide at the back post.
90 + 5th minute: Tension rises in the far corner between Xhaka and Serbia, a caution for Milenkovic and the Arsenal midfielder.
90+3rd minute: Big news from Lucille as Cameron take the lead!!!
Brazil top Group G on goal difference
90th minute: Seven minutes added………Will there be a final twist?
86th minute: Switzerland is happy to run down the clock when Christian Fasnacht comes on for the excellent Vargas.
81st minute: Serbia are starting to lose their composure here as Sasa Lukic is lucky to avoid a booking.
Switzerland wins a free kick through a weak challenge from Gudelj, who is carded, and Mitrovic joins him in the book for dissent.
75th minute: Serbia in all possession as we reach the last 15 – can they get a goal?
Filip Juricic and Nemanja Radonic come on for Tadic and Zivkovic.
Serbia’s final roll of the dice.
70th minute: Double change from Switzerland as they look to take the sting out of Serbia. Denis Zakaria and Edimilson Fernandes come in as Shaqiri and So.
66th minute: Mitrovic goes down in the box under a challenge from Fabian Scar and the referee dismisses his penalty appeal.
Serbia’s bench is furious with the decision, as Predrag Rajkovic gets a booking, and Nemanja Maksimovic comes on for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
63rd minute: Serbia are still looking to push forward and create a chance as Tadic blasts over the bar and Kobel catches Filip Kostic’s cross shot.
58 min: Embolo has a great chance to win with an effort from close range — and an offside flag saves his blushes.
55 mins: Double change from Serbia, Luka Jovic, and Nemanja Gudelj come on for Vlavic and Strahinja Pavlovic.
Booking for Strahinja Pavlovic means he will miss out in the round of 16 – if Serbia qualifies!
49 min: Switzerland is ahead! The second half started where the first half ended…………with another goal!!!!
Embolo does brilliantly to latch on to a long ball forward – and slips in a scrambling Vargas – as his clever flick is buried by Remo Früller.
The given video is available in US
That final pass was TOO NICE 🔥🇨🇭 pic.twitter.com/qYGDfPNJZp
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 2, 2022
The given video is available in UK
The flick backwards! 🤤
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 2, 2022
Simply superb build-up play for the goal as Switzerland retake the lead 🇨🇭🇷🇸#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/ND0ytYYHgk
The given video is available in CANADA
The goals keep on coming! Brilliant work from Switzerland.
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 2, 2022
Remo Freuler smashes this one in!#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/UmKBnouVS1
48 mins: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic picks up a booking for a bad tackle in midfield.
Half time: A disgraceful first 45 minutes in Doha!!!
Four goals made it 2-2 at the break as both sides breathed stuff at the Stadium 974 with Switzerland fighting back before the whistle to draw 2-1!!!
The BIG half time news is that Switzerland are going through to the Round of 16 as it stands!!!
44 mins: Goal to Switzerland !!!
Widmer burst in behind the Serbia defense and squared for an easy tap-in for Embolo!!!
The given video is available in US
Breel Embolo made sure to stare right into the camera after his goal 🎥👀 pic.twitter.com/LLTbWqT4SD
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 2, 2022
The given video is available in UK
WHAT A GAME WE HAVE HERE 🤩
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 2, 2022
Breel Embolo has levelled it for Switzerland, and as it stands, they’ll be the ones going through! 🇨🇭#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/xBwyhDqo0r
40 mins: Switzerland have seen plenty of the ball since falling behind but Serbia looks happy to sit off before the break after forcing themselves into the lead
36 min: Serbia has turned it around! Serbia is going to stand it! Switzerland is too slow to clear their lines and Vlavic pounces on the loose ball for Coble to calmly head into the far corner!!!
33 mins: A frustrated Vargas picks up a booking for a late tackle.
28 mins: Shaqiri latches onto Ricardo Rodriguez’s lofted ball behind but his deflected effort is fired wide of the post!
25 min: Serbia is level! Urgent response from Serbia! Tadic raced down the left and crossed into the box for Mitrovic to head home a brilliant leveler past Manuel Akjani.
20 mins: GOALLLL……….. Shaqiri for Switzerland!!!! Shaqiri marks his return with a breakthrough!!!!
Although Serbia looked to turn the tide here in Doha, Switzerland caught them on the break to ease into a 1-0 lead!!!! Djibril Sow finds himself in the middle of the box and calmly feeds Shaqiri past Milinkovic-Savic!!!
15 mins: It’s end-to-end in Doha as Ruben Vargas’ cut back is stopped inside the Serbia box.
Serbia then looks to break and Silvan Widmer warns Filip Kostic for pulling back.
10 min: Serbia hit the post!!!
So close to the opener for Serbia!!!
Dusan Tadic drops a shoulder and feeds Andrija Zivkovic on the edge of the box, his brilliant effort deflects off the post, and Aleksandar Mitrovic can’t rebound home!!
7 min: Serbia have settled down from that rocky start as Nikola Milenkovic rises highest for a corner but his header bounces wide.
2 minutes: ALMOST A GOAL WITHIN THE FIRST 60 SECONDS!!!!
Brel Embolo finds himself inside the Serbia box with time and space but Vanja Milinkovic-Savic is too sharp to block his effort!!!
What ………a …..start ……!!!
Granit Xhaka then tries his luck from distance but Milinkovic-Savic is all the way behind!!
KICK OFF: WE ARE GOING TO DOHA!!!
Serbia vs Switzerland lineup, team news
In the first 53 minutes, Serbia largely dominated their most recent game against Cameroon and their starting side finally clicked in the final third.
With no injuries or suspensions to speak of, Dragan Stojkovic looks likely to field the same lineup and hope they can deliver a full 90-minute performance.
Serbia predicted lineup (3-4-2-1, right to left): 23. V. Milinkovic-Savic (GK) — 4. Milinkovic, 5. Veljkovic, 2. Pavlovic — 14. Zivkovic, 6. Maximovic, 16. Lukic, 17. Kostic – 10. Tadic, 20. S. Milinkovic-Savic – 9. Mitrovic.
Noah Okafor sat out the Brazil game with a thigh problem and remains a doubt for the match. Renato Steffen missed Switzerland’s opener but came on as a substitute last time out and could now push for a start.
Xherdan Shaqiri did not see action against Brazil so could be primed for the big game if coach Murat Yakin decides to use him.
Switzerland predicted lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Sommer (GK) — 3. Widmer, 5. Akanji, 4. Elvedi, 13. Rodriguez — 8. Früller, 10. Jaka — 11. Stephen, 15. So, 17. Vargas – 7. Embolo.