Shaqiri scores late winner as Switzerland stun Serbia

Xherdan Shaqiri scored a 90th-minute winner as Switzerland came from behind to beat Serbia 2-1 in World Cup Group E last night.

The Swiss drew level in Kaliningrad in the 52nd minute when Shaqiri’s shot was blocked and Granit Xhaka blasted the loose ball into the net, cancelling out Aleksandar Mitrovic’s fifth-minute header.

Stoke winger Shaqiri, who sent a fine effort against the post shortly after the equaliser, then completed the turnaround as he finished off a counter-attack with a cool strike past Vladimir Stojkovic.

Serbia felt aggrieved that they had not been awarded a penalty when Mitrovic was caught in a tangle with Stephan Lichtsteiner and Fabian Schar in the 66th minute.

The result sees Switzerland move into second place in the group, level on four points from two games with Brazil.

Serbia are a point behind in third, with fourth-placed Costa Rica eliminated after their 2-0 loss to the Brazilians.

Serbia made a bright start, with Mitrovic to the fore, and moments after he had brought a fine save out of Yann Sommer with one header, the Newcastle striker scored with another as he connected with Dusan Tadic’s excellent cross.

Switzerland had a decent chance to level five minutes later but Blerim Dzemaili dragged a shot wide, and Serbia were soon applying more pressure as Mitrovic, twice, and Sergej MilinkovicSavic sent attempts off target.

Having possibly counted themselves lucky to only be a goal down, Switzerland then equalised early in the second half.

Shaqiri’s shot bounced off Nikola Milenkovic and the ball came to Xhaka, who cracked it past Stojkovic.

Shaqiri hit the upright as the Swiss pressed and the same player then broke forward and slotted past Stojkovic to make it 2-1.