Scotland Secure Vital Point Against Switzerland

Scotland fought through injuries and self-inflicted setbacks to earn a vital point against Switzerland, keeping their Euro 2024 campaign alive. Scott McTominay’s deflected shot almost blew the roof off the loud Cologne Stadium at 13 minutes. However, a misguided back pass from Anthony Ralston allowed Xherdan Shaqiri to score a brilliant first-time shot, placing it high beyond Angus Gunn. Kieran Tierney, clutching his hamstring, saw Dan Ndoye miss a clear chance and will now miss the game against Hungary on Sunday.

Despite being weakened in defense, Scotland showed great spirit in the final stages with Grant Hanley hitting the post from an Andy Robertson free-kick. The Swiss missed several late chances but Scotland secured a point, moving to third in Group A with a win against Hungary likely enough to advance from the group stage for the first time in their history.

Scotland Rises to Give Tartan Army Hope

Under the shadow of the towering Kolner Dom, tens of thousands of Scotland supporters gathered, hopeful for their team to overcome a formidable challenge. In their previous 5-1 defeat to Germany, the Scots were unrecognizable compared to the team that had previously shocked Norway and defeated Spain in qualifying. Their determination and grit seemed absent in the vast Allianz Arena.

However, in the intense atmosphere of Cologne, they managed to unsettle a Swiss team that had easily defeated Hungary. The opening goal was classic Scotland from the qualifiers. A McTominay header cleared a corner, with Robertson sprinting the length of the pitch. When Callum McGregor passed to McTominay, his first-time shot deflected off Fabian Schar and soared into the net.

Nervousness was evident on the right side of Scotland’s defense during the first half with Switzerland missing several clear opportunities. But in the second half, Scotland attacked with determination and without fear, giving themselves a fighting chance. This effort was all Steve Clarke and the Scottish supporters could have asked for.

Missed Opportunity for Switzerland?

Switzerland received high praise for their performance against Hungary, especially in the first half. Against Scotland, their attacks in the first 45 minutes were formidable, particularly exploiting Scotland’s right side. Shaqiri, a standout player, added another impressive goal to his record, having now scored in the last three World Cups and European Championships.

The Swiss had the ball in the net twice, only to be ruled offside by narrow margins and missed two clear chances. In the second half, despite opening up and threatening on the counter, they showed defensive vulnerabilities. They might see this as a missed opportunity, especially with a game against Germany next. However, four points might still be enough to advance.

What They Said

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke: “It was nice to see them. We didn’t turn up in the first game. We’re a good team when we play. We always knew that the points we require would come from these two games. We’ve got one point now, that means we have a chance going into the last game. I believe if we get those three points, we go to the next stage.”

Scotland captain Andy Robertson: “More like us, much more like us. Aggressive, on the front foot, couldn’t get off to a better start. We make a mistake but Tony Ralston was unbelievable after that. Second half, he was different class. We had our chances but so did they. We were a lot more happy with that performance. We’ve taken it into the last game and that’s all we can ask.”

Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour: “We gave everything out there. We knew we had to bounce back after the last performance and it puts us in a good place. We’re a good team. We know our strengths. Tonight was more like a Scotland performance. Getting after the ball, passionate – everything was there.”

Match Stats

• This is the first Euros game where Scotland took points despite conceding; they had lost their previous six in such situations.
• Scotland remains unbeaten against Switzerland in major tournaments (W1 D1), avoiding defeat in six of their last seven competitive matches against them (W2 D4 L1). Remarkably, 44% of their Euros points (4/9) have come against the Swiss.
• Scott McTominay has scored nine goals for Scotland under Steve Clarke, with only John McGinn (18) scoring more. His eight goals since March 2023’s start of qualifying are more than double any other Scotland player.
• Switzerland has lost just one of their last 12 Euros matches (W4 D7), avoiding defeat in their opening two group stage games for the second time, after Euro 2016 (W1 D1).
• Xherdan Shaqiri has become the only European player to score in each of the last six major tournaments since the 2014 World Cup.
• Switzerland fielded their oldest ever starting XI in a Euros game (30y 119d). Only Slovakia has named an older XI in these finals (30y 229d).