Here’s the match report from the game:
That’s it from me. Join Jacob Steinberg for all the action from France v Albania here (where Pogba and Griezmann have been dropped):
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Well, Switzerland were disappointing there. For a team with such potential, they looked blunt in attack - though Embolo was certainly an upgrade on Seferovic - and short of ideas in midfield, where Xhaka and Shaqiri failed to shine.
Romania achieved exactly what they set out to achieve: not to lose. That’s a first point on the board for them and a win over Albania could see them into the knock-outs. See all the permutations here:
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FULL TIME
Xhaka finds Embolo, who runs at the Romania defence. In his desperation to find an opening, he bulldozes Grigore and earns a yellow card. And that, more or less, is that. Full time.
90 min +2: Xhaka lifts a free kick to Land on the left wing, who sends a cross into the area. Goal kick. A minute to go.
90 min: Keseru wriggles and twists in the centre of the pitch, desperately trying to hang onto the ball and to keep it from marauding Swiss midfielders. He’s clipped to the ground when the marauding Swiss midfield get sick of that sort of thing. Shaqiri is hauled off - and has been a bit disappointing - Everton’s Tarashaj replaces him. Three minutes added time.
88 min: Lichsteiner and Lang combine very neatly up the Swiss left wing. Lang clips a good cross into the area that would have destined for Embolo’s head and, then, the back of the neck had Tatarusanu not climbed well to claim.
87 min: Schar concedes a corner and Romania send forward a fair few men. They’re not taking this draw yet. Chiriches jumps but a Swiss defender beats him to the ball, a good solid clearance.
85 min: Free kick to Switzerland 20 metres outside the Romania box. Rodriguez lifts the ball in, the Swiss big men pile in to get on the end of it, Romania clear it with ease.
For anyone concerned about the Germany manager’s nether regions:
84 min: Lichsteiner, who has pushed forward now that Lang is playing right back, plays a nice ball into Embolo. The Swiss striker leans on Grigore ever so delicately and the Romanian defender hits the deck. Hmm.
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83 min: For Switzerland, Lang replaces Dzemaili to bolster the Swiss defence. For Romania, Stancu - who has just take a knock - is replaced by Andone.
80 min: That said, Hoban plays an incisive ball into Torje in the Swiss area. All he had to do was trap it and shoot, but his touch is very heavy and Romania concede possession. They look tired and are struggling even more than normal to keep hold of the ball.
78 min: Perhaps chastened by that volley, Dzemaili opts not to shoot when he finds himself with the ball in the D. He attempts a pass to Shaqiri but the Romania defence clear. Switzerland are all over Romania at the moment, with the Romanians puffing hard.
76 min: Shaqiri blasts the free kick into the wall, it bounces back for Mehmedi, and he wafts a tame shot at Tatarusanu. A moment or two later, Dzemaili attempts to lash a first time volley at goal from a ball ballooned over his head. The result is not pretty. His manager stands on the touchline shaking his head ruefully.
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75 min: Grigore flattens Embolo just outside the Romania box, when the striker was nearly in the clear. Free kick to Switzerland, yellow card to Grigore. Fourth Romania yellow.
74 min: Switzerland heap more pressure on Romania. Mehmedi lurks on the Swiss left, then clips a delicious ball high across the area. It goes over Embolo and finds Shaqiri unmarked. Unfortunately, it is behind him and he attempts an outrageous bicycle kick, with the ball ballooning off his shin and high over the goal. Oh.
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73 min: Embolo is nearly clear again - though may have been offside - and Tatarusanu has to race out from his goalline to intercept the long through ball from Mehmedi. Embolo is certainly causing more problems than Seferovic.
“For a game I thought would be a purists’ delight, this has been pretty entertaining stuff. I wouldn’t say it’s of stunning quality, but fun goes a long way,” reckons Kári Tulinius, who is right.
71 min: Embolo tries to wiggle free in the Romania area but for all his power, his touch is a little agricultural. He knocks the ball so far past Chiriches it goes out for a goal kick.
69 min: That’s always good to see. Romania win a free kick that is virtually in their own half (I exaggerate). Torje sends all the big men into the box, then lashes the ball a full 5,000 yards at goal. Somner has to dive sharply to his left to save his dipping, thunderous drive. There’s something about an outrageously optimistic free-kick in a European Championship that is just a lot of fun to watch.
68 min: Lichsteiner swishes another good cross into the Romania area, taking two defenders out of the game. Embolo gets up to head it in, but catches the ball too fine and it goes out for a kick.
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67 min: Dzemaili is in an acre of space in the Romania half. He pauses, then plays a lovely through ball to Embolo who breaks at speed. He can’t do much with the pass though, so Switzerland head backwards and keep control in the Romania half. They’re in control at the moment.
You heard this here third:
@TomBry Embolo is the future! Went to school with him, amazing player. Will lead the Swiss to victory!
— Ron Youghal (@RYoughal) June 15, 2016
65 min: Hoban hoists a good ball into Keseru - or Kerazoo, as Andy Townsend is calling him on ITV - and he has a free header at goal, which he does not make the most of.
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64 min: Seferovic is finally put out of his misery. That’s his second poor game in a row. Switzerland replace him with the 19-year-old Embolo, a fast, effective and physically imposing striker who probably should have started (he’ll score an own goal now).
60 min: That’s the end of Romania’s Razvan Rat. He’s replaced by Filip, 13 years his junior and approximately 110 caps less experienced.
58 min: Shaqiri stands over a ball 10 yards outside the Romania box, having won the free-kick by being flattened while dribbling at pace at the area. He takes a few steps back then clobbers a left-foot shot at goal. It’s a yard too high.
57 min: That was a netbuster from Mehmedi, a thunderous left-foot thrash into the opposite corner. Oof. Breel Embolo was about to come on for Switzerland, had taken his tracksuit off, done his warm-up and then that goal went in. He’s now sat back down.
GOAL! Romania 1-1 Switzerland (Mehmedi, 55)
Mehmedi pulls a ball back across the Romania area to Seferovic, stationary on the penalty spot. The ball is tapped behind for a corner … and from it Mehmedi rams the ball home from 15 yards! Powerful strike.
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53 min: Switzerland take their turn to attack as the game comes alive - Dzemaili thinks about rifling in a shot but instead crosses. Probably the wrong option and Romania can clear.
52 min: Torje toddles up the left wing, with Rodriguez in close attendance. Somehow Torje wangles a throw-in despite being the last man to touch the ball before it goes out. Romania spend the next minute or so flinging dangerous crosses into the area, with Switzerland worriedly clearing them. Finally Torje flings in the most dangerous of the lot and Djourou somehow slides in, two feet from the goal, and hoofs it wide when it looked for all the world like he was going to score an own goal.
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50 min: Xhaka gets in a tangle with the ball and is robbed by Sapunaru. In his haste to get the ball back, Xhaka goes in on the Romanian man, who hits the deck. Xhaka is shown a yellow card, but replays suggested Sapunaru simply trod on the Swiss player and hit the deck.
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48 min: But Switzerland aren’t letting Romania have it all their own way. Xhaka lurks outside the Romania box, looking for all the world like he is about to fire a long-range rasper at goal. Instead, he plays a diagonal ball to Shaqiri, who tears into the box but fires his shot into Chipciu’s leg. Corner. Which is wasted.
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47 min: Romania have started brightly, and Torje attempts to race past the Swiss left back Rodriguez. Had he managed it, he would have had a simple pull back to Keseru. But he didn’t.
46 min: Hoban immediately gets a chance. Stancu carves out an opening in the Swiss box, lays the ball off to the new man and he rasps an outside of the boot shot wide of SOmner’s goal. That was probably the best chance Romania have had all match in open play.
PEEP PEEP!
We’re off again: Romania’s Hoban replaces Pintilii, who was injured at the end of the first half.
David Mooney emails in about St Pauli’s spectacular move: “I hope this trend catches on and when Arsenal sign their next twinkle-toed number 10, Arsene comes out for the unveiling in full Lordi regalia.”
Weird fact: I once interviewed Lordi in their full Lordi regalia. A little bit of behind the scenes knowledge for you: those costumes absolutely stink. Like proper, proper hum.
Here’s the latest from the Press Association on events in Lille:
Police in Lille have used tear gas on fans following scuffles in the city centre. Supporters were seen running through the streets before officers attempted to disperse them by firing the gas into the crowds. Fans from England, Wales, Slovakia and Russia have been gathering in the city for Group B matches between the countries.
Kevin Porter emails: “ITV commentator: ‘Maybe if you are brought up in an neutral country, you lack aggression’. Really, where do they recruit these people from, the past? Can the standard of commentary drop any lower?” Stay tuned to this here commentary on the Guardian, Kevin, and you may well find out.
There’s a lovely snippet from Jonathan Wilson about Romanian football in this Knowledge column from a few year’s back: scroll down to the 11th paragraph (begins “But there’s more. Jonathan Wilson points us towards etc etc”) for a fabulous tale about how Chinese whispers and rampant corruption caused a side to beat another 9-0 thanks to some extravagant extra time.
Some half-time reading for you all, courtesy of Tom Davies
Well, Romania have had no possession and seem intent on protecting their lead before mounting the odd counterattack via Chipciu. Switzerland need a new striker and they need Shaqiri to turn up as, increasingly, they’re getting panicky around the box.
PEEP PEEP!
Schar concedes a corner, Romania’s first of the afternoon. They take it short and then lift the ball to the far post before a Swiss head knocks it behind for Romania’s second. That one is hoiked in and Seferovic heads it clear. With that, it’s half-time.
45 min: Stancu sells Djourou a dummy and goes past him. Somner, in the Swiss goal, thinks about coming and Stancu’s eyes light up but Schar is there to clear things up. Nearly a good breakaway move from Romania.
43 min: Romania have had almost no possession and could not care less about that. Switzerland pass the ball through them, carving another chance for Seferovic who heads the ball at goal but the Romania keeper claims.
41 min: Mehmedi breaks clear in the Romania area and rifles a shot from a tight angle. Chiriches dives in and blocks the ball before it gets further than six inches from Mehmedi’s boot. Switzerland do very little with the corner, and Romania break but, instead of waiting for more numbers, they blare a shot high and wide over Somner’s goal.
38 min: Pintilii has taken a knock and the Romanian physio applies some magic spray. When play restarts, Romania are lucky not to concede. Lichsteiner is played in up the right wing and clips a wonderful ball back across the area. Behrami is clear in the box and powers a header wide of the posts. Had that been on target - and it should have been, given the quality of the ball and the space Behrami had - it would have been 1-1. Poor from Switzerland.
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36 min: Keseru pulls Behrami to the ground for no good reason: yellow card.
35 min: The dangerous Chipciu breaks clear down the Romania left again, leaving Schar for dust this time but playing a poor ball into the box. He sets up a Romania attack though, with the ball fizzing about the Swiss box, until eventually a ballooning ball lands in Somner’s hands. Switzerland don’t like Romania running at them, as Corporal Jones might have said.
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34 min: Corner to Switzerland, who are beginning to look a little tense. Rodriguez lifts an outswinger into the box but Xhaka can’t get a big enough portion of his head onto the ball. Goal kick.
31 min: Dzemaili pokes a good ball through to Seferovic, but does so under heavy attention from Pintilii. The referee decides Pintilii’s attentions are a little unfair and blows for a foul just outside the D. Rodriguez lines it up, firing the ball at Tatarusanu’s right hand post. The keeper was there to claim though.
Meanwhile in Lille
Police fire tear gas to clear area. pic.twitter.com/n3x4Ys43qm
— Owen Gibson (@owen_g) June 15, 2016
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28 min: In Lille, trouble is brewing between the England and Russia fans:
Latest from Lille https://t.co/1miu3wNnQr
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) June 15, 2016
27 min: Shaqiri has a nibble at Prepelita, conceding a free-kick on the left wing. The ball is launched into the box and the Swiss defence are all over the place. Sapunaru, on the penalty spot, has a chance and smashes a shot which clips the right hand upright and goes out.
25 min: Chipciu races clear up the Romanian left, leaving Lichsteiner for dust. He cuts inside, makes room for the shot and can’t quite wrap enough of his foot around the ball to bend the ball past Somner. He looks dangerous.
The Swiss fans know how to tailgate party:
23 min: Oof 2: And that’s another thumping challenge: Chipciu clatters Lichsteiner and earns himself yellow too. Shaqiri delivers a good ball into the near post but Seferovic - who is fast having a shocker - can’t get a decent header on it.
Meanwhile, Swiss anthem-gate rumbles on:
@TomBry The Swiss recognise that their anthem is meh, and chose another one -- the process is still ongoing. Paul. https://t.co/9QObiyE43h
— radiobed (@radiobed) June 15, 2016
22 min: Oof: that’s a challenge. Prepelita slides into the back of Xhaka who goes down in a crumpled heap. Yellow card for the Romania midfielder.
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21 min: Switzerland are nearly level. Schar is a long way out but looks up and aims a howtizer at the Romania goal. Tatarusanu has to tip the ball over the bar as it dips and swerves towards the back of the net. Switzerland waste the corner.
19 min: The referee had no option but to award that: Chipciu was twisting, turning and wriggling his way through the Swiss defence. Lichsteiner had a fistful of his shirt and eventually the Romania midfielder simply had to hit the deck. Completely fair enough.
GOAL! Romania 1-0 Switzerland (Stancu, 18, pen)
A very cool low shot into the bottom left corner. His second penalty of the tournament.
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PENALTY!
Chipciu fights his way into the Swiss box but is tugged down by Lichsteiner.
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15 min: Shaqiri plays Seferovic in, the striker lurching into the box with the goal at his mercy. He draws back his foot, he takes aim, then he tickles the ball gently into the Romania keeper’s hands. How many chances does he need?
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12 min: It’s all Switzerland at the moment, and Lichsteiner finds himself with time and space to whip a cross in, shortly after Dzemaili had a chance to shoot but instead clipped the ball across the face of goal (to nobody). Switzerland’s problem so far is that their buildup has been solid but there’s been nobody in the box to hit with the ball.
10 min: Dzemaili wriggles free on the outskirts of the Romania box and whips a cross in, which is headed behind for a corner. Shaqiri hoofs the corner into the box and Tatarusanu punches clear.
9 min: Romania concede a pretty unnecessary foul, granting Switzerland a free-kick high up their left wing. Rodriguez hoists the ball into the box and all the Swiss big men launch themselves at the ball and - unfortunately for them - the Romanian players. Foul: goal kick.
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8 min: Prepelita fizzes a cross into the Swiss box and Chipciu nods it on. Unfortunately, he nods it to Somner, who catches the ball with ease.
@Tombry Did someone say charity begging bowl time? We're drawing all 800 Euro2016 Panini stickers to raise money :) pic.twitter.com/dI9tbQVxfq
— Panini Cheapskates (@CheapPanini) June 15, 2016
7 min: Seferovic takes a pass on the edge of the Romania box, breaking free of Chiriches. He was wasteful against Albania, and this is another chance he sends begging - whistling the ball past the keeper’s left-hand post. Still, it was nice wriggling work to fashion the chance in the first place.
“Razvan Rat played a pivotal role in my hugely successful Macclesfield side in Football Manager,” reports Ian Copestake. “But that was back in the day before employers stopped allowing people to play it at work. So is Rat slow because he is very old or has the world changed since I lost that job?” Because he is very old.
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5 min: Lichsteiner takes the ball to the byline and whips a cross over to Seferovic and Mehmedi in the box. His cross is too high, however, and Romania clear.
@TomBry You're right, the Swiss anthem is. But until 1961 it was even duller, to the same tune as God Save the Queen https://t.co/gukrlJRw6X
— Peter Davies (@PDaviesEdin) June 15, 2016
3 min: Seferovic flattens Prepelita in the centre circle, and looks guiltily at the ref. The ref doesn’t give a flying one, however, so Switzerland attack, jagging the ball about between themselves outside the Romanian box. Eventually, things open up for Xhaka and he whistles a deflected shot at goal. Tatarusanu saves comfortably.
1 min: So much for Romania not attacking much. From the throw-in, they charge up the right via Torje, who crosses for Kerseru but Djourou just gets enough on the ball to deny the Romanian striker.
PEEP PEEP
We’re off: Switzerland, in red shirts and white shorts kick off and attack from left to right. The ball immediately goes out for a throw-in to Romania, who are all in yellow.
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“Afternoon Tom,” chirps Simon McMahon. “Is it still possible for Scotland to qualify for the round of 16 with no points?”
@TomBry Properly, I think we need to view this Group stage as "last qualifying matches." But my, they have been fun so far. More please!
— Hubert O'Hearn (@BTBReviews) June 15, 2016
The Romanians are here now, fortunately. Anthem time: Switzerland go first: conservative, sombre, like a businesslike grey suit.
Romania follow: stirring, brooding stuff. Sing along at home.
Right, back to the game: the teams are in the tunnel - well, the Swiss are, the Romanians are still in the changing room. The Romanian mascots are lined up, however, perhaps they’ll do?
Charity begging bowl: the Guardian’s Michael Butler is going on a charity bike ride in aid of Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge: this minute-by-minute entry is the equivalent of somebody shaking a bucket at you. Dig deep, dig often.
Re. Oliver’s poser as 16.28, here’s Gordon Smith: “You can qualify with one point. If the points in a group end 9,6,1,1 and at least three groups end this way then at least one of them will qualify for the last 16.”
What a format!
Just in case you haven’t seen it, this - by quite some distance - is the football story of the day:
“Well, if Rat doesn’t have the legs to chase Shaqiri around all day, at least the Romanians have a spare Lung on the bench,” honks Justin Kavanagh. Honk!
In answer to Oliver, below, then yes: if every team in a group won one, lost one and drew one each side would finish with four points. The group would be settled on goal difference - so one side would go out as the fourth placed side with four points. It’s entirely conceivable that a side in another group could finish with three points and go through. I think, but I’m simple folk.
One for the hive mind: “I’ve just been looking at my wallchart at work trying to figure something out,” emails Oliver, who works in the sort of place where they’re allowed to look at wallcharts while at work. “Is it at all possible that a team in fourth place in one group could have a better record than a team in third place in another, but that third place team make it through to the last 16?”
Catch up on what happened at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, with Jamie Jackson’s report: Russia 1-2 Slovakia (spoiler alert…)
In the buildup to the match - it’s worth giving our interactive guide to the teams and players another look:
Romania have stuck by Razvan Rat, whose lack of pace was put to the test by France. He’ll be up against Shaqiri this afternoon, which ought mean another tricky day at the office for him. Filip, who might have replaced Rat, remains on the bench.
Team news
Romania: Tatarusanu, Sapunaru, Chiriches, Grigore, Rat, Prepelita, Pintilii, Torje, Stancu, Chipciu, Keseru.
Subs: Pantilimon, Matel, Moti, Hoban, Alibec, Stanciu, Andone, Gaman, Filip, Sanmartean, Popa, Lung.
Switzerland: Sommer, Lichtsteiner, Schar, Djourou, Rodriguez, Behrami, Xhaka, Shaqiri, Dzemaili, Mehmedi, Seferovic.
Subs: Hitz, Moubandje, Elvedi, von Bergen, Lang, Embolo, Frei, Zakaria, Fernandes, Tarashaj, Derdiyok, Burki.
Referee: Sergei Karasev (Russia)
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Preamble
On the surface, this does not have thrills and spills written all over it. Romania - doughty against France in the opening match of the tournament - conceded just two goals in the qualifiers but in their last five competitive fixtures have scored just five goals (three of them against Faroe Islands, one of them from the penalty spot against France). Switzerland, for their part, made a very good start against Albania, scoring inside the first five minutes, then struggled to keep it up for the rest of the match. So, what we’ve got here is: team who defend well but don’t score very much v team that struggled to score against minnows.
That said, Switzerland should score. Just look at the talent available to them. Granit Xhaka is a maestro, Xherdan Shaqiri has scored four and made five goals in his last eight competitive matches. At some point, surely the team have to live up their perennial tag of dark horses and go on a run. Victory here would mean they would be the first team to go into the knockout stages.
There are a few ructions in their squad at the moment though: Shaqiri has threatened to ditch Switzerland for the newly Uefa-recognised Kosovo, particularly if the side offer him the captaincy that Switzerland have not. He’s been doing his bit for team morale by talking about that in the buildup to this match which is good of him.
Romania will be set up to frustrate and perhaps rightly so. A draw here, then victory over Albania could well see them safely into the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed teams. Their coach, Anghel Iordanescu has just about said as much too: “We have to be realistic; we have to understand that we’ll be playing against a very good side. Their 23 players play in big leagues like the Bundesliga. Our objective is to qualify from the group.” Romania took confidence from their performance against France, despite their disappointment at conceding a late Dimitri Payet winner, and they will be determined not to lose this one too.
There is some historic needle to the match too. These two teams met in their second match at the 1994 World Cup finals when, under Roy Hodgson, the Swiss beat Romania 4-1 in Detroit. Romania recovered to win the group and went through to the quarter finals (courtesy of the delicious Hagi), though, and Switzerland went home in the round of 16. Three years earlier, Romania beat Switzerland in qualifying for Euro 92, meaning they failed to qualify for the tournament and Scotland got in. So that’s some 22 year old needle right there.
Let’s enjoy Romania at the 1994 World Cup all over again, courtesy of Rob Smyth via the link below:
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