Switzerland takes big step towards next round

Immediately on the second day of the Euro 2024 tournament an important match was played. Switzerland and Hungary, both drawn into group A, needed a win to take a huge step towards the next round. In a group where Germany is considered as the big favourite, the second and third place are up for grabs. Out of the six groups, the four best numbers three will also qualify for the knockout stages. So, to start with three points can be vital for your chances. Especially for these two teams, after seeing Germany demolish Scotland the day before.

Dreams do come true!

Tournaments like this, are always the place where dreams get crushed while other dreams come true. The story of Kwadwo Duah reads like a fairytale. The London born striker is from Ghanian descent but plays for Switzerland after moving there on a young age. The striker plays for Ludogorets in Bulgaria and isn’t a household name in football. This match against Hungary was on his second cap for Switzerland and it’s one he will never forget. 12 minutes into his big tournament debut, he opened the score. While the linesman thought it was offside, VAR saw he was clearly onside and awarded the goal. Just before half-time Aebischer doubled the lead for the Swiss with a good strike from outside of the box.

Hungary fights back

The Hungarian side looked a bit lack lustered in the first half. There wasn’t much energy coming from the team. If anyone said it was just a friendly, you would’ve believed it after watching them in the first half. In the second half the Swiss shifted a gear down, giving Hungary more of the ball. With the 2 goal gap, they needed to push forward more and more. Striker Barnabas Varga got a huge opportunity in the 63rd minute and headed the ball on the wrong side of the post. A few minutes later his vizor was better calibrated and he netted the ball this time. With 25 minutes to go, the Hungary was back in the game.

Swiss hold on

The Swiss side woke up after the Hungarian goal. They started dominating possession a bit more and tried to keep Hungary away from their goal. In extra time another dream got reality. Swiss striker Breel Embrolo, who struggled with injuries ever since his last appearance for Switzerland during the Qatar World Cup, scored with 20 minutes after his comeback on the pitch. The 3-1 score was welldeserved and gives Switzerland a flying start in this tournament.