BRASILIA: Switzerland have been expecting great things of Xherdan Shaqiri for some time and the impish player finally took his place on the world stage with a superb hat trick in the 3-0 win over Honduras on Wednesday.
For many Swiss fans it has been a long time coming. The cheeky and instinctive Kosovo-born player, who looks as if he might have learned the game on the streets of South America, made his international debut as an 18-year-old and was still a teenager when he was voted Switzerland’s Player of the Year in 2011.
Since then, the 22-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance on the international stage, including a hat-trick in a Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria, and for his club Bayern Munich, but has not shone on a consistent basis.
A lack of playing time for Bayern this season coupled with some frustrating muscular injuries had even begun to spark concern that he could become another player of unfulfilled potential.
His first two performances at the World Cup were disappointing and Shaqiri complained about the raised expectations on the eve of Wednesday’s game in Manaus. “It doesn’t all depend on me,” he said. “It gets on my nerves that more critical things are written about me than the others.” But in Manaus, Shaqiri gave the performance that everyone had been waiting for, helping to send the Swiss into the knockout stages as Group E runners-up.
His opening goal after six minutes was not dissimilar to Lionel Messi’s effort against Iran as he collected the ball near the touchline, held off his marker, cut inside and fired a dipping left-foot shot into the net from 25 meters.
That was followed by two clinical finishes, both with his left foot, from passes supplied by Josip Drmic to make him the first Switzerland player to score a hat-trick at the World Cup since Josef Huegi against Austria in 1954.
There was much more to his performance than the goals, however.
Shaqiri twice set up clearcut chances for Drmic by cleverly threading the ball through the Honduran rearguard and did not shy away from defensive duties, at one point breaking up a Honduran attack by dispossessing Wilson Palacios near the edge of the Swiss area.
The early strike was also crucial in helping the Swiss cope with the stifling conditions in Manaus.
As coach Ottmar Hitzfeld had announced before the tournament, the Swiss dispensed with their usual pressing in the opponents’ half and were happy to sit back and allow Honduras possession.
The Central Americans had 62 percent of the ball while the 34 fouls, 17 from each side, played into the Swiss hands as it broke up play and gave them a breather.
Full backs Stephan Lichtsteiner and Ricardo Rodriguez also abandoned their usual marauding style and barely crossed the halfway line.
In fact, the Swiss looked far more comfortable playing a waiting game than they did against Ecuador and France, where they tried to take the initiative and were repeatedly caught on the break.
With Argentina to face in their round of sixteen tie on Tuesday, Hitzfeld may be tempted to stick with the more cautious tactics, even in the much cooler conditions of Sao Paulo.
Shaqiri takes his place on the world stage
Shaqiri takes his place on the world stage
China beat North Korea 2-1 to take top spot in Group B
- Uzbekistan finished third in the group with a 4-0 win over Bangladesh in Perth, also securing a spot in the knockout stage
SYDNEY: Defending champion China edged North Korea 2-1 in a physical, high-energy game Monday to take top spot in Group B in the Women’s Asian Cup.
The result sent North Korea into a quarterfinal Friday against Australia in Perth, where the hosts and 2023 World Cup semifinalists opened the tournament with a win over Philippines.
China and North Korea were already assured of quarterfinal spots with two wins apiece ahead of their showdown at Western Sydney Stadium. Uzbekistan finished third in the group with a 4-0 win over Bangladesh in Perth, also securing a spot in the knockout stage.
Playing in their first Women’s Asian Cup tournament since losing the 2010 final to Australia, North Korea only needed a draw against China to top the group. And they took the lead when Kim Kyong Yong finished off a counter-attacking goal in the 32nd minute, the first shot on goal in the game.
The lead was shortlived, though, with China equalizing two minutes later with Chen Qiaozhu’s stunning strike through traffic from the edge of the area.
China went ahead in a tense finish to the first half, when Wang Shuang’s goal was awarded after a VAR review deep in stoppage time.
The VAR decision to overturn the assistant referee’s offside call upset the North Korean players and led to coach Ri Song Ho being yellow carded by referee Thi Ly Le as his team protested on the sideline. The North Korean players didn’t return to the pitch before halftime was called.
Both teams had chances in the second half, with North Korea goalkeeper Yu Son Gum making a full-length diving save to Wang’s powerful left-foot shot in the 78th, and then 19-year-old Choe Il Son appearing to equalize two minutes later before being ruled offside after a VAR review.
In Perth, Dildora Nozimova scored twice in six minutes for Uzbekistan, her first just two minutes after entering the game as a substitute on the hour.
State of play
The top two teams in each of the three groups advance to the quarterfinals along with the two best third-place teams.
In Group A, South Korea edged Australia for top spot on goal difference after the 3-3 draw in Sydney on Sunday night. The South Koreans will play the third-place team from either Group B or Group C in the quarterfinals. Philippines still have a narrow chance of advancing after placing third, finishing with a win over Iran. That put Iran women’s team out of contention, and facing the prospect of a return to country at war.
In Group C, two-time champion Japan lead with six points ahead of their last group match against Vietnam, who are tied with Taiwan for second spot on three points. Taiwan finish the group stage against India.
