Serbia 1 Switzerland 2: Xherdan Shaqiri scores dramatic winner to blow Group E wide open after Granit Xhaka screamer cancels out Aleksandar Mitrovic strike
Both Swiss scorers taunted Serbia with Albanian eagle salutes in Kaliningrad
XHERDAN SHAQIRI and Granit Xhaka sparked a diplomatic row when they celebrated their goals against Serbia with a double-eagle hand gesture.
The Stoke playmaker slotted home a 90th-minute winner to put Switzerland above Serbia in second place in Group E.
The Swiss are the first team at the World Cup to come from a goal down to win as Xhaka’s drilled 25-yarder cancelled out Aleksandar Mitrovic’s opener.
But Shaqiri and Xhaka taunted the Serbs as they made the political gesture of the eagle – the symbol of the Albanian flag.
Shaqiri has connections with Albania’s neighbours Kosovo while Xhaka has family ties with Albania and a brother who plays for the Balkan country.
Xhaka’s strike - after Shaqiri’s shot was blocked - was the fifth time out of ten he has netted for the Swiss from outside the penalty area.
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While the Swiss had the better of the second period, the Serbs dominated for long spells in the first half.
And Mitrovic’s price tag is likely to only rocket after an impressive showing.
The Serbia striker was on loan at Fulham and fired them into the Premier League and his fifth-minute header looked set to power his country into the last 16 of the World Cup for the first time in 20 years until the Swiss produced a fine comeback.
Fulham value Mitrovic at £15million, his parent club Newcastle want £20m yet even that big-money asking price could soar after this dominant display in Kaliningrad.
Mitrovic was a constant nuisance to Switzerland, particularly in the opening 30 minutes.
The Swiss had already been warned when Mitrovic saw a fourth-minute header directed straight at keeper Yann Sommer.
But, within 60 seconds, Vladimir Petkovic’s side had not heeded the warning as Serbia gained the advantage.
Nemanja Matic regained possession and fed Dusan Tadic down the right wing.
The Southampton wideman teased his marker, cut the ball back onto his favoured left foot and whipped in an inviting cross for Mitrovic, who towered above Fabian Schar and glance his header into the far corner past Sommer.
It was Mitrovic’s 15th goal in his last 18 starts for his country.
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The Swiss took half an hour to pose a threat in attack.
Manuel Akanji flashed a header wide before Dzemaili and Haris Seferovic linked up to force Vladimir Stojkovic into a fine stop.
But Serbia were kicking themselves that they did not extend their lead as unmarked Dusko Tosic missed a free header from six yards and Matic could only knee the ball over the bar.
And the failure to take their chances came back to haunt the Serbs when Xhaka struck.
Shaqiri then had a curling left-footer crash against the woodwork but the smallest player in the tournament made no mistake when he latched onto Mario Gavranovic’s through ball and held off Tosic to score as the Swiss draw level on points with Brazil.
