Switzerland struck twice in quick succession to stun Euro 2016 champions Portugal 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier last night and hand them a first competitive defeat in two years under coach Fernando Santos.
Ninteeen-year-old Breel Embolo headed Switzerland ahead in the 23rd minute and Admir Mehmedi doubled the lead six minutes later as Portugal’s defence, almost impregnable in France in June, dramatically unravelled.
Portugal, missing talismanic forward and record scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, regained their composure and dominated much of the rest of the game but were ineffective in attack.
Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka was sent off for a second bookable offence in stoppage time as tempers flared.
France, meanwhile, were left frustrated following a goalless draw from their opening Group A match in Belarus.
Les Bleus, beaten finalists as hosts of Euro 2016, had plenty of possession, but even Manchester United's £89 million man Paul Pogba could not find a way past the hosts.
Sweden started life after Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a 1-1 draw against Holland in their match at the Friends Arena.
Holland had dominated large spells of the first half, but found themselves behind on 43 minutes when Marcus Berg chipped the ball over the goalkeeper from the edge of the penalty area.
The Dutch levelled on 67 minutes when captain Wesley Sneijder slotted in after Daryl Janmaat’s shot was saved – and thought they had won it in stoppage time with a header from substitute Bas Dost, which was ruled out for what looked minimal contact with the defender.
Romelu Lukaku scored twice
as Roberto Martinez’s first
competitive game in charge of Belgium ended in a 3-0 win over Cyprus.
The Everton striker stooped to head home the opener after Thomas Meunier’s deflected effort came back off the crossbar, before nodding in his second when Cyprus goalkeeper Constantinos Panagi failed to keep hold of Yannick Carrasco’s shot.
Winger Carrasco tapped in Eden Hazard’s pass to put the result of the World Cup qualifier beyond doubt after Panagi had kept out Kevin De Bruyne’s effort.
The away side wasted the chance for a fourth when Lukaku’s replacement Michy Batshuayi saw his late penalty saved by Panayi after Hazard was brought down by Cyprus captain Constantinos Charalambidis.
Albania snatched a 2-1 win over Macedonia as they resumed the World Cup qualifier which was abandoned due to torrential rain on Monday.
Balaj nets winner
Bekim Balaj came up with the decisive goal in the 89th minute, getting a faint headed touch on fellow substitute Ledian Memushaj’s inswinging free-kick.
Goran Pandev and Stefan Ristovski threatened a stoppage-time equaliser, to no avail.
Armando Sadiku had put Albania ahead inside 10 minutes on Monday with a neat finish having been picked out by right-back Elseid Hysaj, but Ergjan Alioski equalised in the 51st minute before relentless rain in Shkoder forced the players off with 15 minutes remaining.