Football – Scotland kept alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time by holding Switzerland to a gripping 1-1 draw at Euro 2024 yesterday thanks to an early goal from Scott McTominay.
Out to rescue their battered pride after a 5-1 drubbing by Germany, Scotland went ahead after 13 minutes from McTominay’s deflected shot before the Swiss levelled 13 minutes later with a superb strike from Xherdan Shaqiri after a defensive blunder.
Switzerland looked the more dangerous team and had the best of the chances in a lively match but the Scots, lifted by a rapturous travelling support, fought hard to keep them at bay, with pacy Swiss forward Dan Ndoye going close several times.
Switzerland, seeking to qualify for the knockout rounds of a sixth successive major tournament, spurned their chance of joining Group A rivals Germany in the next stage with a game to spare, as the Scots repelled countless first-half attacks.
Scotland started brightly and went in front on the break when Andy Robertson surged down the left before finding Callum McGregor who teed up McTominay for a shot that deflected into the net off Fabian Schar.
Switzerland nearly equalised when Ricardo Rodrigues fired a volley wide of the post and their pressure paid off when Shaqiri charged towards the area to intercept a poor Scottish pass and fired a curling shot into the top corner.
Ndoye nearly made it two for Switzerland when he forced a save from keeper Angus Gunn and he had a goal disallowed for offside from the resulting corner.
Scotland came out fighting in the second half and had a succession of chances, almost going back in front when Grant Hanley headed a cross against the post.
McTominay almost grabbed a second nine minutes from time with a sweet strike inside the area which was blocked by Manuel Akanji.
“I guess that’s much more like us, aggressive on the front foot, couldn’t have got off to a better start,” Scotland captain Robertson said.
“We had our chances, but so did they, it was an open game, two really good teams going at it.”
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