Scotland draw with Switzerland to keep Euro hopes alive

Scotland kept alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time by holding Switzerland to a gripping 1-1 draw at Euro 2024 on Wednesday thanks to an early goal from Scott McTominay.

Out to rescue their battered pride after a 5-1 drubbing by Germany, Scotland went ahead after 13 minutes from McTominay's deflected shot before the Swiss levelled 13 minutes later with a superb strike from Xherdan Shaqiri after a defensive blunder.

"That's what we expected. This is the way we've been playing for the last three or four years," Scotland manager Steve Clarke told reporters.

"We knew what we had to do it. It was a good team performance against good opponents and a good reaction. We're still alive."

Switzerland looked the more dangerous team and had the best of the chances in a lively match, but the Scots, lifted by a rapturous travelling support, fought hard to keep them at bay with pacy Swiss forward Dan Ndoye going close several times.

Switzerland, seeking to qualify for the knockout rounds of a sixth successive major tournament, spurned their chance of joining Group A rivals Germany in the next stage with a game to spare, as the Scots repelled countless first-half attacks.

Scotland started brightly and went in front on the break when Andy Robertson surged down the left before finding Callum McGregor, who teed up McTominay for a shot that deflected into the net off Fabian Schär.\

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"I guess that's much more like us, aggressive on the front foot, couldn't have got off to a better start," Scotland captain Robertson said. "We had our chances, but so did they, it was an open game, two really good teams going at it."

Switzerland nearly equalised when Ricardo Rodrigues fired a volley wide of the post and their pressure paid off when Shaqiri charged towards the area to intercept a poor Scottish pass and fired a curling shot into the top corner.

Ndoye nearly made it two for Switzerland when he forced a save from keeper Angus Gunn and he had a goal disallowed for offside from the resulting corner.

Scotland came out fighting in the second half and had a succession of chances, almost going back in front when Grant Hanley headed a cross against the post.

McTominay almost grabbed a second nine minutes from time with a sweet strike inside the area which was blocked by Manuel Akanji.

Swiss coach Murat Yakin said Switzerland paid the price for missed chances, but were still in a good position.

"Their pride was hurt and we expected them to react," Murat said. "We had to expend more energy than we expected to equalise.

"We could have won the game, we missed some really big opportunities."