Euro 2024: Scotland draws Switzerland in Group B match

COLOGNE, Germany –

Xherdan Shaqiri’s stunning first-half strike secured a 1-1 draw for Switzerland against Scotland at Euro 2024 on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Chicago Fire forward rolled back the years with a first-time curling effort from about 20 meters out at Cologne Stadium.

Scotland had led from the 13th minute when Scott McTominay’s shot took a wicked deflection off Fabian Schar to beat Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

But Shaqiri pounced on Anthony Ralston’s loose pass in the 26th to even the match.

The draw leaves Switzerland second in Group B on four points, while Scotland’s hopes of advancing to the round of 16 depend on its final game against Hungary on Sunday and results elsewhere.

Both teams had chances to win the game.

The Swiss should have taken the lead just before the hour mark when Dan Ndoye turned Kieran Tierney on the edge of the box. With just goalkeeper Angus Gunn to beat, Ndoye fired wide of goal.

Grant Hanley then headed against the post from a Scotland free kick and Switzerland’s Zeki Amdouni headed wide at the far post late on.

Germany became the first nation to advance to the round of 16 after 2-0 win over Hungary.

Goals from Jamal Musiala and İlkay Gündoğan made it two wins from two for the host and ensured there would be no repeat of its group stage exit from the 2022 World Cup.

Substitute Klaus Gjasula scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Albania held World Cup semifinalist Croatia to a 2-2 draw in Group B. Gjasula’s own goal, just four minutes after entering the game in the second half, had looked like handing Croatia the win until his late strike.