Serbia 2 – 3 Switzerland

Switzerland booked their place in the World Cup knockout stages with a 3-2 victory, but only after suffering a huge scare from Serbia in an epic four-goal first-half.

Xherdan Shaqiri gave Switzerland the lead with a deflected shot in the 20th minute but Serbia, who had been the better team, equalised through a trademark Aleksandar Mitrovic header and then sensationally led when Dusan Vlahovic found the bottom corner which momentarily moved them second in Group G.

However, Switzerland hit-back through Breel Embolo in the final minute of a thrilling first-half and regained the lead early in the second period from a wonderful team goal, rounded off by Remo Freuler.

Switzerland resolutely saw out the victory to leave Serbia bottom with only one point although the match was marred by reports of a FIFA announcement inside Stadium 974 which asked fans to stop “discriminatory shouts and gestures”.

How Switzerland edged past Serbia

Switzerland set the tone for a dramatic first half by becoming the first side in World Cup history to have three shots in the opening minute as Granit Xhaka twice fired at goal with Embolo denied by goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

Despite the early scare, Serbia impressed and saw Andrija Zivkovic hit a post with a powerful drive from outside the area yet it was Switzerland who broke the deadlock when Shaqiri’s effort found the net via a deflection.

Serbia, though, remained on top and soon Mitrovic drew his side level with a brilliant glancing header from Tadic’s perfect cross. Then, just seven minutes later, they were in position to qualify as Vlahovic capitalised on a mistake from Freuler to fire into the bottom corner.

However, there was to be a final twist in the first half, when Silvan Widmer crossed from the right and Embolo arrived to side-foot home for 2-2.

Things would quickly get worse for Serbia at the start of the second period when Switzerland put together a wonderful move involving Embolo, Shaqiri before Vargas flicked the ball to Freuler, who made up for his earlier error and thumped in the fifth goal of the evening.

Serbia never rediscovered their flowing attacking moves of the first half as the game turned bad-tempered, stoking memories of the controversial clash between the two sides at the 2018 World Cup. Xhaka was involved in an injury-time melee which helped take Serbia’s yellow card count for the match to seven.

Confirmed last-16 fixtures

Saturday December 3
Netherlands (Confirmed winners of Group A) vs USA (Confirmed runners-up of Group B) – Kick-off 3pm
Argentina (Confirmed winners of Group C) vs Australia (Confirmed runners-up of Group D) – Kick-off 7pm

Sunday December 4
France (Confirmed winners of Group D) vs Poland (Confirmed runners-up of Group C) – Kick-off 3pm
England (Confirmed winners of Group B) vs Senegal (Confirmed runners-up of Group A) – Kick-off 7pm

Monday December 5
Japan (Confirmed winners of Group E) vs Croatia (Confirmed runners-up of Group F) – Kick-off 3pm
Brazil (Confirmed winners of Group G) vs South Korea (Confirmed runners-up of Group H) – Kick-off 7pm

Tuesday December 6
Morocco (Confirmed winners of Group F) vs Spain (Confirmed runners-up of Group E) – Kick-off 3pm
Portugal (Confirmed winners of Group H) vs Switzerland (Confirmed runners-up of Group G) – Kick-off 7pm

What else happened at the World Cup on Friday?

Brazil won Group G despite losing 1-0 to Cameroon, who were denied a place in the last 16 by Switzerland’s victory.

South Korea secured a place in the last 16 with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Portugal in Group H which knocked out Uruguay despite their 2-0 win over Ghana. Luis Suarez was left in tears at the full-time whistle after Uruguay failed to score a crucial third that would have sent them through on goal difference.