Xherdan Shaqiri has done it again against Serbia, this time at World Cup 2022.
Much of the talk in the build-up to this one was about Shaqiri and team-mate Granit Xhaka, who both scored against the Serbians four years ago in Russia. The pair celebrated with eagle gestures in reference to Albania amid political unrest between Serbia and Switzerland's players with Eastern European descent.
Typically for Shaqiri, the now-Chicago Fire star found the ball at his left foot in the penalty area and wasn't going to think twice, burying it in the back of the net and wheeling away in celebration. The eagle celebration wasn't coming out again, however – Shaqiri opted to put his finger to his lips to silence the Serbian fans at Stadium 974 who were whistling him.
Xherdan Shaqiri!!! 💪Switzerland take the lead against Serbia 🇨🇭#ITVFootball | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/vMRQzOWO9yDecember 2, 2022
Despite the onus being on Serbia to have to attain a positive result, it was Switzerland who raced out of the blocks, with goalkeeper Serbian goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic needing to make a smart double-stop within seconds of the whistle. It could have been Serbia who opened the scoring, however, when a shot within the first 10 minutes from Andrija Zivkovic rattled the post and luckily for Swiss keeper Gregor Kobel, bounced into his grateful grasp.
The Swiss were only ahead for five or so minutes, however. Fulham hitman Aleksandar Mitrovic – who like Shaqiri, scored in this clash four years ago – nodded a glorious glancing header into the far corner of the net after a wonderful cross Dusan Tadic.
Barring a shock win from Cameroon against Brazil, the winner of Serbia and Switzerland will face Portugal in the last-16.
