Add the Gazzetta del Sud as a source
SWITZERLAND (4-3-3): Kobel 6; Widmer 6.5 (41′ st Jaquez sv), Elvedi 6.5, Akanji 7, Rodriguez 6.5; Aebischer 6 (26′ st Sow 6), Xhaka 7, Freuler 6.5; Rieder 5 (26′ st Vargas 7.5), Embolo 6.5 (43′ st Itten sv), Ndoye 6.5 (26′ st Manzambi 8). On the bench: Keller, Mvogo, Amdouni, Amenda, Comert, Fassnacht, Jashari, Okafor, Zakaria. Coach: Yakin 7.5
BOSNIA (4-4-2): Vasilj 6.5; Dedic 5, Muharemovic 5, Katic 5.5, Kolasinac 5; Memic 5, Tahirovic 5.5 (19′ st Basic 6), Sunjic 5.5 (40′ st Hadziahmetovic sv), Alajbegovic 5.5 (45′ +1′ st Mahmic 7); Demirovic 5.5 (40′ st Lukic sv), Dzeko 6.5 (19′ st Bajraktarevic 6). On the bench: Jurkas, Zlomislic, Bazdar, Burnic, Gigovic, Hadziakadunic, Lukic, Malic, Mujakic, Radeljic, Tabakovic. Coach: Barbarez 5.
REFEREE: Pinheiro (Portugal) 6.
GOALS: 29′ st Manzambi, 39′ st Vargas, 45′ st Manzambi, 48′ st Mahmic, 52′ st Xhaka (pen.)
NOTES: clear sky, pitch in good condition. Booked: Elvedi, Dzeko, Dedic. Corners: 7-3 for Switzerland. Recovery time: 4′; 7′
Switzerland made up for the disappointing draw in their debut against Qatar and beat Bosnia 4-1. Yakin gets the substitutions right and finds the stars of the evening in Vargas, Xhaka and Manzambi, who scored a brace.
During the pre-match ceremony, the captains of the national teams exchanged commemorative flags bearing on one side the native languages of the participating teams and on the other an English translation: “Let’s play together, we are against hatred”.
The first ring was Swiss and came after 10 minutes, when Ndoye tried with a left foot into the area which however ended on the outside of the net. Dzeko and his teammates come out at a distance, but without worrying Kobel too much. The first half, devoid of particular emotions, ended goalless.
Manzambi and Vargas decide the match
In the 11th minute of the second half, Ndoye scored with a spectacular overhead kick after assisting Xhaka’s kiss, but Vasilj denied him the joy of scoring by lifting it over the crossbar.
The first sign for Barbarez’s men materializes in the 23rd minute, when Kobel dives away from Dedic’s right-footed shot from distance.
The match breaks the deadlock in the 29th minute. The new substitute Vargas crosses from the left, the defense clears it short and the ball arrives on the right of the other new substitute Manzambi, who with a powerful right-foot volley pierces Vasilj to make it 1-0 for the Red Cross.
In the 35th minute, Muharemovic was sent off for a last-man foul on Embolo on the edge of the area and left his team outnumbered.
Yakin’s men close the score in the 39th minute: Manzambi serves Embolo in the center, who passes it on the left for Vargas who arrives with great speed and beats Vasilj with a precise right-footed shot to the corner.
A wild Manzambi scores the hat trick in the 45th minute, when he scores Vasilj again with a first-time right-footed shot from a few steps away, making the most of an assist from the left by Vargas.
Goal from the Bosnian flag and penalty from Xhaka
In full injury time, Bosnia scored the winning goal with new substitute Mahmic, who beat Kobel with a great right-footed volley into the corner.
In the final moments, Memic mows down Jaquez in the area and the referee awards the penalty. Captain Xhaka scores the final 4-1 from the penalty spot.
Switzerland thus climbs to the top of the group standings with 4 points, while Bosnia remains at one point.