Switzerland 5-2 Belgium: Nations League comeback takes hosts into finals
Haris Seferovic has now scored 17 international goals
Haris Seferovic scored a hat-trick as Switzerland completed a scarcely believable comeback to thrash Belgium and reach the Nations League finals.
Thorgan Hazard scored twice for Belgium in the opening 17 minutes, leaving the Swiss needing four goals to progress.
Ricardo Rodriguez gave them hope with a penalty before Seferovic scored from close range and then smashed them into the lead.
Nico Elvedi headed in their fourth before Seferovic's third.
Switzerland will now play in next June's Nations League semi-final against hosts Portugal, England or whoever progresses out of France and the Netherlands.
Swiss looked out of it after bad start
Switzerland fans must have been thinking about leaving after Hazard's two early goals in Lucerne.
He took advantage of Elvedi's weak back-pass from brother Eden Hazard's ball to give them a second-minute lead and then smashed another into the bottom corner.
A 1-0 or 2-1 win would have done for Switzerland but because of away goals in their head-to-head record with Belgium, they needed to win by two goals once Belgium had taken a 2-0 lead.
Against the side ranked number one in the world - and after such an electric start for Belgium - that was looking very unlikely.
Full report to follow.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Switzerland
1Sommer
2MbabuBooked at 79mins
4Elvedi
20Klose
13RodrÃguez
11Fernandes
10XhakaBooked at 38mins
8FreulerSubstituted forZakariaat 79'minutes
14ZuberSubstituted forBenitoat 87'minutes
23Shaqiri
9SeferovicBooked at 87minsSubstituted forAjetiat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
3Moubandje
5Lacroix
6Lang
7Oberlin
12Mvogo
15Fassnacht
16Ajeti
17Zakaria
18Sow
19Gavranovic
21Omlin
22Benito
Belgium
1Courtois
2Alderweireld
4Kompany
20Boyata
15MeunierSubstituted forOrigiat 90'minutes
8Tielemans
6Witsel
22ChadliSubstituted forBatshuayiat 65'minutes
16T Hazard
10E Hazard
14Mertens
Substitutes
3Dendoncker
5Denayer
7Vanaken
9Origi
11Praet
12Mignolet
13Casteels
17Kabasele
18Januzaj
19Mechele
21Castagne
23Batshuayi
Referee:
Daniele Orsato
Match Stats
Home TeamSwitzerlandAway TeamBelgium
Possession
Home52%
Away48%
Shots
Home17
Away16
Shots on Target
Home9
Away8
Corners
Home7
Away5
Fouls
Home8
Away6
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Switzerland 5, Belgium 2.
Full TimePosted at 90'+4'
Second Half ends, Switzerland 5, Belgium 2.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'+2'
Substitution, Switzerland. Albian Ajeti replaces Haris Seferovic.
Posted at 90'+1'
Attempt saved. Denis Zakaria (Switzerland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Haris Seferovic with a through ball.
Posted at 90'
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
SubstitutionPosted at 90'
Substitution, Belgium. Divock Origi replaces Thomas Meunier.
Posted at 90'
Delay in match Edimilson Fernandes (Switzerland) because of an injury.
Posted at 89'
Attempt saved. Dedryck Boyata (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Michy Batshuayi.
Posted at 88'
Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Kevin Mbabu.
SubstitutionPosted at 87'
Substitution, Switzerland. Loris Benito replaces Steven Zuber.
BookingPosted at 87'
Haris Seferovic (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 87'
Foul by Haris Seferovic (Switzerland).
Posted at 87'
Vincent Kompany (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 86'
Attempt saved. Michy Batshuayi (Belgium) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 86'
Attempt saved. Eden Hazard (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Dries Mertens.
Goal!Posted at 84'
Goal! Switzerland 5, Belgium 2. Haris Seferovic (Switzerland) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin Mbabu.
Posted at 81'
Attempt saved. Haris Seferovic (Switzerland) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Xherdan Shaqiri.
Posted at 80'
Attempt blocked. Steven Zuber (Switzerland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Edimilson Fernandes.
BookingPosted at 79'
Kevin Mbabu (Switzerland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 79'
Foul by Kevin Mbabu (Switzerland).
Posted at 79'
Axel Witsel (Belgium) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
SubstitutionPosted at 79'
Substitution, Switzerland. Denis Zakaria replaces Remo Freuler.
Posted at 75'
Attempt saved. Dries Mertens (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Michy Batshuayi.
Posted at 72'
Attempt missed. Vincent Kompany (Belgium) header from a difficult angle on the left is too high. Assisted by Dries Mertens with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 72'
Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Edimilson Fernandes.
Posted at 72'
Attempt blocked. Thorgan Hazard (Belgium) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Dries Mertens.
Posted at 70'
Granit Xhaka (Switzerland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 70'
Foul by Michy Batshuayi (Belgium).
Posted at 69'
Attempt saved. Eden Hazard (Belgium) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Michy Batshuayi.
Posted at 69'
Foul by Nico Elvedi (Switzerland).
Posted at 69'
Thorgan Hazard (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 68'
Attempt blocked. Toby Alderweireld (Belgium) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dries Mertens with a cross.
Posted at 67'
Corner, Belgium. Conceded by Nico Elvedi.
SubstitutionPosted at 65'
Substitution, Belgium. Michy Batshuayi replaces Nacer Chadli.
Posted at 63'
Foul by Kevin Mbabu (Switzerland).
Posted at 63'
Youri Tielemans (Belgium) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!Posted at 62'
Goal! Switzerland 4, Belgium 2. Nico Elvedi (Switzerland) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Xherdan Shaqiri with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 61'
Corner, Switzerland. Conceded by Nacer Chadli.
Posted at 60'
Offside, Belgium. Thomas Meunier tries a through ball, but Thorgan Hazard is caught offside.
Posted at 58'
Offside, Switzerland. Ricardo RodrÃguez tries a through ball, but Xherdan Shaqiri is caught offside.
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Source: bbc.com
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