For the second game of the Euro 2016 in France we head over to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis (Lens) where qualification surprise Albania will meet Switzerland.
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After just five minutes, Hoffenheim centre back Schaer rose above the Albanian defence to head in from a corner by Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri.
The inauspicious beginning meant that the defense-minded squad, which was making its debut in the European Championship finals, found itself in the unwanted position of having to seek out the equalizer.
Loyalties will be divided in this fascinaing Group A clash in which, for the first time in the European Championship, brothers on opposing sides in Granit and Taulant Xhaka will be taking part.
If Berisha might wince when he watches replays of that opening goal, the Albania goalkeeper more than redeemed himself thereafter.
Switzerland’s next Group A game is on Wednesday against Romania for whom Costel Pantilimon was an unused substitute in last night’s 2-1 defeat to France.
“We should have scored more, but hopefully we have saved our goals for the next match”, Granit Xhaka said.
Vladimir Petkovic praised his Switzerland team for coping with the occasion of their Euro 2016 opener against Albania better than their opponents. The Zurich-born forward’s chance to write the ideal ending to this most contemporary of European football match-ups had gone, and so had Albania’s opportunity to take a deserved point from an encounter that had seemed sure to get away from them.
60 – Granit Xhaka had 60 touches in the first half, more than any other player in Albania v Switzerland.
With tournament hosts France the heavy favourites to top Group A, Albania and Switzerland are aiming to stake their claim towards potentially joining Les Bleus in the knockout stages.
Granit has played 44 times for Switzerland since 2011, scoring six goals.
However, by the end an honest contest featuring a strong seam of niggle had been witnessed in which Albania had their chances to at least share the spoils.
It’s still somewhat hard to believe that Albania have qualified for Euro 2016, with this tournament unsurprisingly representing their first ever appearance at a major competition. “I hoped that the referee may have sanctioned the little push that made me fall”, said the player who will now miss the match against France.
Taulant made his debut for Albania in 2014 and has played 12 worldwide games since.
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Albania: Etrit Berisha; Ansi Agolli, Mergim Mavraj, Lorik Cana, Elseid Hysaj; Taulant Xhaka (Ergys Kace 61), Burim Kukeli, Amir Abrashi, Ermir Lenjani, Odise Roshi (Sokol Cikalleshi 73); Armando Sadiku (Shkelzen Gashi 82).
