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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Gregg Bakowski

Switzerland v Poland: Euro 2016 – as it happened

Poland’s Artur Jedrzejczyk celebrates after Grzegorz Krychowiak scores during the penalty shootout to win the match.
Poland’s Artur Jedrzejczyk celebrates after Grzegorz Krychowiak scores during the penalty shootout to win the match. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Well, what a horrible experience for Granit Xhaka. His penalty was among the worst you’ll ever see. It went way, way west. It’s a pity that we’ll see n more of Shaqiri in this tournament as he arrived in style and was the best player by a mile in the second half and extra-time. As for Poland, they were solid agains and full of character. If Lewandowski ever turns up, they will be very tricky opponents for whoever they face. Right, I have to shoot off. Thanks for you emails and tweets. We’ll always have that Shaqiri goal won’t we?

Poland are into the quarter-finals!

Poland win 5-4 on penalties! Grzegorz Krychowiak keeps his head and finds the corner. Five brilliant, nerveless spot-kicks.

Poland’s Grzegorz Krychowiak scores during the penalty shootout to win the match.
Poland’s Grzegorz Krychowiak scores during the penalty shootout to win the match. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Updated

Switzerland score! Rodriguez scores under intense pressure. Switzerland 4-4 Poland.

Poland score! Blaszczykowski bangs it home. Switzerland 3-4 Poland.

Updated

Switzerland score! Schar dinks it home. He’s a defender. Lovely stuff. Switzerland 3-3 Poland.

Poland score! Glik makes no mistake. Switzerland 2-3 Poland.

Updated

Switzerland score! Shaqiri. Bottom corner. Never in doubt. Switzerland 2-2 Poland.

Updated

Poland score! Milik tests Sommer’s wrists and squeezes it in. Switzerland 1-2 Poland.

Updated

Switzerland miss! Wow! Xhaka sends it so, so far wide. Abysmal. Switzerland 1-1 Poland.

Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka misses.
Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka misses. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Poland’s goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski looks pleased.
Poland’s goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski looks pleased. Photograph: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

Poland score! Lewandowski top corner. Wow! Penalties: Switzerland 1-1 Poland

Poland’s Robert Lewandowski scores.
Poland’s Robert Lewandowski scores. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters

Updated

Switzerland score! Lichtsteiner goes down the middle, cool as you like. Penalties: Switzerland 1-0 Poland

Stephan Lichtsteiner scores during the penalty shootout.
Stephan Lichtsteiner scores during the penalty shootout. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

Updated

Lichtsteiner to take the first kick for Switzerland …

So, it looks like the penalties will be taken in front of the end where the Swiss fans are gathered. I’m nervous. Penalties just make me jittery.

Fabianski has been in great form today, so strong and the busier keeper late in the game. Could it be that he is the matchwinner?

Full-time: Switzerland 1-1 Poland (It's penalties!)

Well, it was always going to be wasn’t it?

ET118 min: Piszczek is played through by Krychowiak, whose pass takes a deflection on the way through and ends up at the feet of the full-back, who can’t shift his body to get a shot away and allows Sommer to clear.

ET117 min: It’s that man Derdiyok again! Seferovic gets on to the end of a long ball played into the left channel and wraps his foot round a cross towards Derdiyok that bounces awkwardly in front of him meaning he can only watch it bounce off his knee and fall into Fabianski’s hands.

ET116 min: “I’ve always thought that Trevor Sinclair’s overhead kick was the one which killed all other overhead kicks. Is the Shaqiri one better than Trev’s?” writes Dave Grinnell. It’s good but that Trev one is something else. Shaqiri runs him close though.

ET 115 min: Derdiyok wallops a free-kick towards the Pyrenees. Not a good couple of minutes from the Swiss striker there. I’d have Shaqiri doing everything right now. Did Swiss media really question his fitness?

ET113 min: What a pass from Shaqiri! What a save from Fabianski! The little man, who has come to life in dramatic fashion, dinks a delicious little ball over the Swiss defence to Derdiyok on the back post, who heads at goal from eight yards out and forces a wonderful reaction stop from Fabianski.

Lukasz Fabianski of Poland saves the header by Eren Derdiyok.
Lukasz Fabianski of Poland saves the header by Eren Derdiyok. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Updated

ET 112 min: Pazdan is booked for a foul on Derdiyok.

ET110 min: Lewandowski is fouled about three times in one passage of play, eventually winning a free-kick for a fourth foul that wasn’t by Shaqiri. The attack leads to nothing.

ET108 min: Glik heads behind for a corner. Not a good idea against Switzerland. The first is cleared behind. The second is cleared out. But the ball breaks to Shaqiri, who shows wonderful skill, as though he hasn’t got 108 minutes’ worth of football in his legs, bamboozling his marker and forcing another corner with a little cross to the near post.

ET107 min: Shaqiri is bright and inventive, popping a couple of passes left and right and eventually finding Embolo on the right, but the teenager is tackled well on the run.

ET105 min: Switzerland cause a little panic at the back after a ball into the box is deflected towards Embolo but Pazdan, who has been very, very good, hammers the ball clear on the volley.

Half-time in extra-time: Switzerland 1-1 Poland

This is heading for penalties.

ET104 min: Peszko, who as just come on for Grosicki, takes little time in getting involved, dragging down Lichtsteiner after the full-back showed the first bit of attacking intent in the past 10 minutes. The resulting free-kick comes to nought.

ET102 min: Nothing is happening here. So here’s Conor Murphy: “Xherdan Shaqiri’s goal: nice but could he do it on a rainy night in …” Honk!

Updated

ET100 min: And there it is. Maczynski drops to the floor due to cramp and Jodlowiec replaces him.

Updated

ET99 min: I’m pretty sure Poland haven’t made a substitution yet. Extraordinary. They have 22 legs chock full of lactic acid out there.

Updated

Switzerland’s forward Haris Seferovic, left, goes up for a header with Poland’s defender Artur Jedrzejczyk.
Switzerland’s forward Haris Seferovic, left, goes up for a header with Poland’s defender Artur Jedrzejczyk. Photograph: Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images

ET98 min: Either Lewandowski overhits a pass or Piszczek checks his run. Either way a Poland move reaches a disappointing end. Here’s an email from Kári Tulinius: “Normally I can’t stand the Swiss team, as no dull football is as dull as when the Swiss are involved. Rote and annoying, they’re like a cuckoo clock that shits on your head. However, any team with Xherdan “Power Cube” Shaqiri is capable of moments of transcendence. I hope he goes back to Shaqiri so I can go back to my irrational grudge against the Swiss team.”

Updated

ET97 min: Poland have possession but they don’t appear to have anyone with the legs to do anything with it. Djourou clears a cross from the left and Poland pick up possession once more.

Updated

ET95 min: Shaqiri threads a ball through to Seferovic and then gets on the move. He picks it up again and jinks into the box on teh left, where he tries to score another sensational goal by chipping Fabianski from 12 yards. He doesn’t, getting under it and sending it over. He has stones that lad.

Xherdan Shaqiri shoots.
Xherdan Shaqiri shoots. Photograph: Laurent Cipriani/AP

Updated

ET93 min: Poland are passing the ball around in the sterile fashion. Switzerland are letting them do so. Yup, not much going on here.

Updated

ET 92 min: Pazdan makes a fine macho tackle on Derdiyok over by the touchline, sliding through him, winning the ball and making a point.

Peep!

ET 90 min: Poland get us underway. Derdiyok is fouled for Switzerland. Rodriguez lofts it into the Poland penalty area but it’s headed clear. Poland have been solid but they tired dramatically at the end of that second half. Doesn’t bode well for them.

A selection of your reactions to Shaqiri's goal …

“Gooooooooooooooooooool! Feel the Bern!” – Andy Gordon.

“Bicycle kicks don’t lie” – Marie Meyer.

“Did that just happen?! That’s the best volley since Ronnie Whelan’s effort against the USSR in ’88. Okay then, APART FROM Van Basten’s in the final that year!” – Justin Kavanagh.

“As good as Rivaldo’s goal was, this was better. The ball wasn’t controlled by Shaqiri before hitting it and he had to stretch and contort to produce a scissor kick to a ball moving away fro the goal. Rivaldo’s goal was one where you applauded but Shaqiri’s makes you laugh and swear because you just cannot believe that someone had the thought to do that let alone being able to actually do it. It was a ridiculous scissor kick” – Neil Mackie.

Updated

Peep! Extra-time beckons …

We’ll have 30 more minutes of this.

Anti-cramp measures taken as the Swiss players prepare for extra time.
Anti-cramp measures taken as the Swiss players prepare for extra time. Photograph: Yuri Kochetkov/EPA

Updated

90+3 min: Xhaka tries to catch Fabianski off his line. He doesn’t.

90+2: min: Milik’s technique is very nice and all that but the shot is bothering no one, least of all Sommer in goal

Updated

90+1 min: Glik lofts a ball forwards to Lewandowski, who is bundled over by Djourou. Free-kick 30 yards out. Milik stands over it but this will have to be good …

90 min: Embolo volleys at goal on the back post but his effort is blocked and the Poland clear. Four minutes of added time for someone to win it.

88 min: Switzerland make hard work of clearing it. It falls to Glik, not the man you want the ball falling to when you need a late goal, and his shot predictably whistles well over from 18 yards.

Kamil Glik of Poland shoots.
Kamil Glik of Poland shoots. Photograph: Mast Irham/EPA

Updated

87 min: Poland win a corner after a long spell of possession. Their big centre-halves rumble up for it …

Updated

86 min: Thanks to Rob Smyth for this. Shaqiri’s goal, performed by Ronaldo. Or vice versa.

84 min: Switzerland fancy this now. They’ve suddenly realised that they’re not bad at football. And their best player has turned up. He’s been a far more potent force this half, jinking and dancing with menace.

Goal! Switzerland 1-1 Poland (Shaqiri 82)

Well, it’s taken a while but my word! WHAT A GOAL THIS IS! I’ll just get my breath back before describing it. Shaqiri has fired in a scissor-kick from 18 yards out. Incredible technique, his body perfectly poised in the air as he sends the ball over his shoulder and into the far corner gloriously, where it bounces in off the post, climbs up the netting and spins jubilantly behind Fabianski. The little man has scored a big goal. In quite some style.

A fanatastic flying overhead kick by Xherdan Shaqiri puts Switzerland back in the game.
A fanatastic flying overhead kick by Xherdan Shaqiri puts Switzerland back in the game. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland scores to make it 1-1
Here’s a close up shot showing his fabulous technique. Photograph: Mast Irham/EPA
Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland celebrates after scoring the equaliser.
His celebration is just as acrobatic. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Shaqiri, second right, celebrates scoring a goal with team-mates
Shaqiri, his team-mates and the Swiss fans have every reason to celebrate. Photograph: Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

81 min: Fabianski races off his line and punches clear with authority. Rodriguez hammers a volley back at goal but Poland clear …

80 min: The Swiss pressure is building. Poland ought to think about making a substitution. Corner for Switzerland …

Updated

78 min: Seferovic sends a shudder through the crossbar! So close. It followed a Djourou strike that came after Poland failed to clear a Shaqiri cross into the box. The Swiss fans react. They sense Poland are tiring. Just before that Lewandowski shanked a shot well wide. It kind of summed up his tournament.

75 min: Xhaka leaps into the air and yelps after Krychowiak gegenhacks him in midfield. A foul. Nothing serious though. Krychowiak has been the more imposing force in that area today. Fine display again.

72 min: What a brilliant save from Fabianski! Rodriguez wraps his left foot around the ball and sends it arcing in towards the top corner. But Fabianski’s positioning is great and he leaps up and over to tip over with his fingertips. Fine, athletic goalkeeping. He’s having a solid game.

Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez shoots at goal from a free kick.
Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez shoots at goal from a free kick. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Poland’s keeper Lukasz Fabianski saves.
Poland’s keeper Lukasz Fabianski is more than equal to it. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

Updated

71 min: Switzerland win a free-kick 20 yards out in Shaqiri-land. Roodriguez is also standing it over, mind. It was barely a foul. Mehmedi was nudged and dropped to the deck like he’d been shot.

70 min: Piszczek has a blast from 25 yards that sails up and over the bar and off towards Lyon.

67 min: This physical approach from Switzerland appears to have bent the game their way. Poland look a little ragged suddenly. Their passes aren’t sticking and the Swiss have more to aim for in attack now that Embolo is on. “I confess I was dozing a bit but I’m sure that I distinctly heard Mark Lawrenson say “It’s not exactly pass the cheese is it?”. Did I miss some on-field post-lunch action?” asks Charles Antaki. I donlt think it was even Lawrenson. I think they just have a Lawro phrase-generator button and Jonathan Pearce just presses it randomly after any poor shot or dive.

Updated

64 min: Fabianksi has just taken an almighty blow to the ribs as Embolo jumped in at him with very little intention of getting the ball. Somehow Fabianski kept hold of it. He did ever so well. The Swiss fans are enraged that the Swansea keeper has gone down but the replay shows it was the kind of blow that doesn’t half suck the wind from the lungs. A clear free kick.

Poland goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski clutches the ball despite the attentions of Breel Embolo.
Poland goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski clutches the ball despite the attentions of Breel Embolo. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters

Updated

63 min: Lichtsteiner has just worked his way into a good position on the left but his cross is shocking, just lifted in at the first man. He wasn;t evfen under pressure. Here’s Rob Moline:Lichtsteiner is a very good if somewhat limited footballer - a bit slow, lacking in defensive skills, pretty good going forward. Good enough to be recruited by Juve. And very professional - ie able to scrag and trip and kick the ankles and knock over opposition players going past him with greater skill and speed, but at just the level that avoids a free kick . Or, if a free kick is unavoidable, avoid a yellow card. So it’s great to see him get all het up when someone does it to him. Not quite the greatest ever - that would be Carles Puyol doing an exaggerated dive when Cronaldo went in the vague vicinity of him in 2009 big cup final, winning the free kick (to Ronaldo’s disgust) - but pretty good nevertheless.”

59 min: Lewandowski has run off his ankle-knack. He’s moving OK again but that foul has made the game a bit messy. Both teams are throwing in niggly fouls and it is benefitting Switzerland more than Poland, who looked like they could extend their lead just after the 50-minute mark.

57 min: Dzemaili, who has been OK today, is replaced by Embolo, the young hope who has got Premier League scouts all hot and bothered with his exploits at Basel.

55 min: Schar has just sent Lewandowski spinning through the air like a Catherine wheel with a tackle that belonged in 1987. He went right through Lewandowski’s right ankle. It looks like it should be a red card but Clattenburg only reaches for yellow. That was pure filth. This Euros continues to be the place for lenient officialdom. It’s trendy these days.

Fabian Schär of Switzerland fouls Robert Lewandowski of Poland resulting in an yellow card
Robert Lewandowski is taken out by Fabian Schär . Photograph: Lars Baron/Getty Images
Robert Lewandowski lies prone whilst referee Mark Clattenburg gives Switzerland’s defender Fabian Schär a yellow card.
Lewandowski lies prone whilst referee Mark Clattenburg shows Switzerland’s defender Fabian Schär the yellow card. Photograph: Jean-Philippe Ksiazek/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

53 min: This is actually entertaining folks. Djourou takes a heavy touch that could sum up his Arsenal years, and Lewandowski is set free on the right. He has time to pick out Milik on the back post but his cross is too deep and Milik can’t wrap his foot around it at the back post. Moments later, Blaszczykowski hammers a left-footed rasper at the top corner that Sommer does well to punch clear.

51 min: Shaqiri has done more in this half than he has all tournament. After some nice triangular passing in midfield he picks up possession, scurries inside his marker on to his left foot and stings the gloves of Fabianski with a wicked shot.

49 min: Lewandowski is oh so clever here, almost catching Sommer out with a toe-poke from just inside the edge of the area that absolutely nobody but the Poland striker knew was going to happen. Sommer will be grateful that it was pretty much straight at him.

Updated

48 min: Lichtsteiner and Rodriguez play a lovely one-two on the left before the onrushing Rodriguez jabs a ball through to Seferovic, who is a foot offside. This is much more crisp and threatening play from Switzerland. It needed to be.

47 min: The corner is curled in and causes a bit of concern, bouncing off a defender at the back post and then being cleared hurriedly by Glik. If Switzerland are going to score you expect it may well come from a corner, as their two previous goals have in this tournament.

Peep! Peep!

45 min: It’s the second half. And hang on! Switzerland look up for it. Shaqiri goes on a rare old romp down the right, showing a clean pair of heels to Jedrzejcczk and cutting inside the 18-yard box. But he takes a heavy touch as he looks to pick out one of two players in the box and ends up jabbing it off a defender and out for a corner.

Updated

Stats sometimes make no sense. I’d have sworn there were no more than six.

Updated

Half-time emails

I heard that the Blaszcykowskis have more of a blast than the Bakowskis at goals and at parties,” writes Raymond Reardon. In the goals department yes, maybe, Raymond. But the Bakowskis do parties well. No skimping on vodka. And a mean Bigos. That’s important.

“Switzerland have conceded a single goal in seven games at World Cups without progressing beyond Round of 16. Boredom is safer than in a Swiss bank at their games,” yawns Admir Pajiæ.

“I realise love and now your own name commits you to Poland, but, be honest, when doing a MBM don’t you wish Polish names were easier to spell?” asks Christian Cummins. Erm, yes. And also, if I could have chosen a goalscorer, as much as I’m very happy for Blaszczykowski due to his injury and form issues of late, I wish it wasn’t him.

Half-time: Switzerland 0-1 Poland

And that’s your lot. It can get much better. Well, Switzerland need to get much better. Back shortly.

45 min: There’s some confusion at the end of the half as Poland win a free-kick on the left in a very handy position. Just before it, Lewandowski sends Lichtsteiner flying to the turf with a shove. It’s not seen by Clattenburg and has got the Swiss full-back properly riled. As it turns out, the free-kick is cleared to Grosicki, who tries an overhead kick from 18 yards out. It comes off his foot and may well have crossed the border into Switzerland.

Poland’s midfielder Kamil Grosicki attempts an overhead kick.
Poland’s midfielder Kamil Grosicki attempts an overhead kick. Photograph: Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

43 min: The game didn’t half need that goal. Switzerland were trying to strangle the game. They can’t do that now. The Poland fans are making a fair din that’s rolling round this tight little ground. As well they might. Their team have looked like they want to win this. Switzerland, not so much.

42 min: Switzerland have upped their tempo since conceding but they still lack pace up front and an outlet. Their attacks have all been rather staid.

Goal! Switzerland 0-1 Poland (Blaszczykowski 39)

The former captain gives Poland a deserved lead. Grosicki gathers possession and gets his skates on up the left wing with Lichtsteiner struggling to get back. He reaches the edge of the area and plays a low cross into Milik on the near post. He dummies the ball brilliantly and sends his marker the wrong way, leaving Blaszczykowski, free behind him to pick it up, give Sommer the eyes, and then nutmeg him with his right foot from 10 yards. Lovely, clever goal.

Jakub Blaszczykowski slams Poland into the lead.
Jakub Blaszczykowski slams Poland into the lead. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Poland’s Jakub Blaszczykowski celebrates after scoring their first goal
Then celebrates. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

Updated

35 min: After a spell of harmless Switzerland possession, they suddenly burst to life. Seferovic jinks inside his marker on the edge of the box and has a shot that deflects right onto Fabianski’s fingertips. The corner is cleared, Poland break and …

34 min: Schar heads straight at Fabianski after a lovely corner from Shaqiri was curled right on to the centre-back’s forehead. he connects well 10 yards out but with no men on the posts he should have tried to direct that. Fabianski looks mighty grateful has he gathers it up.

32 min: Switzerland win a free-kick for what was barely a handball on the right. Shawqiri whips it in and Xhaka leaps and heads it back across goal but Poland clear. And break … with Blaszczykowski motoring up the right and working a cross in towards Lewandowski that is deflected to Milik on the back post. But under pressure he swipes at the shot and it squirts wide of the near post.

Arkadiusz Milik shoots just wide of the near post.
Arkadiusz Milik shoots just wide of the near post. Photograph: Mast Irham/EPA

Updated

30 min: Lewandowski plays a lovely diagonal ball along the floor to Grosicki, who is having a busy few minutes, but the winger’s attempted shot has too much beef behind it and loops up and over.

Poland’s Kamil Grosicki reacts after his miss.
Poland’s Kamil Grosicki reacts after his miss. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

Updated

27 min: Grosicki has just got his pulse racing. The winger gets his head down and chugs up the line in the fashion of Jason Wilcox, not appearing to have much of a trick but bamboozling Lichtsteiner along the way. He wins a corner and … Krychowiak should score. The ball is whipped in wonderfully to the Sevilla midfielder who, unmarked, leaps and heads well over from eight yards.

24 min: Switzerland have started to pas the ball around dominantly again. Rodriguez has a belt from the left that’s only a yard wide but, to be honest, it’s hardly getting the pulses racing this.

Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez in action with Poland’s Lukasz Piszczek.
Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez in action with Poland’s Lukasz Piszczek. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters

Updated

21 min: Switzerland win a free-kick about 35 to 40 yards out. Rodriguez takes a run up from about two miles away. The result is, well …

It clatters the wall.

Updated

17 min: Blaszczykowski has a little forage down the right -hand side and wins a corner. And what a clever corner it is too. Played short into the box by the same player and then back out to Milik who, on an angle and 18 yards out, slams it over. It took a deflection and goes out for another corner. It’s cleared easily mind straight to Maczynski, whose shot is so bad if it were a noise it would sound like fingernails being scraped down a blackboard. Terrible.

14 min: Lewandowski has a wild swipe at goal that goes well wide. Moments later Xhaka is bullied off the ball (sound familiar Arsenal fans?) and Lewandowski is threaded through only to be halted by some insistent pressure from Behrami that results in both players hitting the deck. That’s much more promising from Poland.

Robert Lewandowski, left, and Valon Behrami tussle.
Robert Lewandowski, left, and Valon Behrami tussle. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Updated

12 min: Shaqiri falls to the floor like he’s just been hit by a bus under very little pressure. Clattenburg gives him the same treatment he gave Pep in the Champions League final minus the weird tongue-wiggle.

11 min: Switzerland have turned this game around. They’re on top and popping the ball around with consummate ease. Lichtsteiner gets in behind Jedrejczyk but his pings off Pazdan’s bulging thighs straight back at him and then out for a goal-kick. Can Poland find their early groove again?

9 min: Shaqiri has a couple of promising bursts, the second of which results in a decent half-chance for Dzemaili, who nips in at the front post, 12 yards out, but can only rippled the side-netting. Nice little little dance by Shaqiri there.

Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland skips past Krzysztof Maczynski.
Xherdan Shaqiri of Switzerland skips past Krzysztof Maczynski. Photograph: Lars Baron/Getty Images

Updated

Poland’s Jakub Blaszczykowski attempts a shot as he is marked by Switzerland’s Valon Behrami, centre, and Granit Xhaka.
Poland’s Jakub Blaszczykowski attempts a shot as he is marked by Switzerland’s Valon Behrami, centre, and Granit Xhaka. Photograph: Jean-Philippe Ksiazek/AFP/Getty Images

6 min: Switzerland finally have a spell of possession. Every touch is whistled by the Poland fans who’d like to see their team stay on top. Switzerland aren’t going anywhere but that’s not the point. They’ve given themselves a breather. They can work out how to go forwards when they can fill their lungs properly again.

Updated

4 min: Switzerland can’t get a grip here. Poland are pinning them back inside their own half with some confident possession play and clever pressing. Lewandowski is making himself a handful too. He has a shot blocked from a tight angle. Switzerland clear but Poland are right back on top of them. This could be a long 45 minutes for the Swiss.

Stephan Lichtsteiner blocks Robert Lewandowski’s shot.
Stephan Lichtsteiner blocks Robert Lewandowski’s shot. Photograph: Robert Ghement/EPA

Updated

Peep!

1 min: Poland, all in white, make a rapid start, not even bother to pass back and just charging into the Switzerland half. The attack is snuffed out but then Switzerland make a fine attempt to hand Poland a goal start. Sommer throws a ball out to Djourou that the left-back wants about as much as an unpinned grenade. He’s quickly put under pressure by Milik, and passes back to Sommer. The keeper clears wildly on the slide and gives the ball straight to Milik. He’s 18 yards out and has an open goal. He should score. He doesn’t. His shot is hit too quickly and curled over.

Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer clears the ball ahead of Robert Lewandowski.
Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer clears the ball ahead of Robert Lewandowski. Photograph: Mast Irham/EPA

Updated

Then it’s the Swiss team’s turn. It’s much more sombre sounding. I’d say Poland have taken an early advantage.

The Poland team fair belt out their national anthem - a jaunty one it is too. Pretty much every Poland fan has a red and white scarf. Impressive colour.

The teams are in the tunnel. Nerves are jangling, the players are twitching. And out they come, led out by Mark Clattenburg, never one to duck the limelight.

The match is taking place in Saint-Etienne today. It’s a lovely ground with four steep sides that bounce the noise off each other. Here’s a handy video guide.

Euro 2016 venue guide: Stade Geoffroy Guichard, St Etienne

The winner today will be handed a quarter-final tie with either Portugal or Croatia. If either of these sides are going to emerge as serious dark horses, it will be a tough route through.

Has Poland boss Adam Nawalka got any concerns about Lewandowski’s lack of goals? Nah. “We don’t have a single problem with the fact Robert hasn’t scored a goal. He’s doing a great job. He’s adapted to a new role in the team very well, and we’re a team where everyone understands each other.”

A quick peek inside the Switzerland changing room. Will that paper-thin kit hold together today?

Switzerland

Here’s Raymond Reardon on why he might need a bigger candle to burn if he’s going to make it through this one. “Both Poland and Switzerland have only scored two goals each in 270 minutes of football (three matches) and this match will probably be the first match in these 2016 European Championships to go to extra-time and may even go to penalties. With the match starting at 11 pm down here in the land of Oz both teams will be giving the other a day’s head start before either score tomorrow.”

Updated

Team news!

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.

Poland: Fabianski, Piszczek, Glik, Pazdan, Jedrzejczyk, Blaszczykowski, Krychowiak, Maczynski, Grosicki, Milik, Lewandowski. Subs: Szczesny, Jodlowiec, Linetty, Stepinski, Wawrzyniak, Peszko, Salamon, Zielinski, Starzynski, Boruc.

Your English whistleblower: Mark Clattenburg (England)

So one change for Switzerland, with Vladimir Petković opting to go with the Frankfurt striker Seferovic in his starting lineup in place of the youngster Embolo. Meanwhile, Poland manager Adam Nawalka has brought back the three players he rested against Ukraine, Piszczek, Maczyński and the former captain Blaszczykowski.

Hello. So here we are in the last 16 already. Football is a relentless beast. And to kick things off we have an intriguing tie. Neither team has made it to this stage of the competition before. In fact, no team has ever made it to this stage of the competition before because this stage didn’t used to exist. But Poland and Switzerland have never made it out of the group stages so this is new territory indeed. Despite the Swiss having the higher world ranking it feels like it is the Poles who will feel the greater pressure in this game from back home, given that they were so disappointing as they tumbled out of the tournament as co-hosts in 2012 without registering a win.

This time round they have registered two wins and a draw but have still only managed two goals, the same total as they did four years ago. That said, they haven’t conceded. Michal Pazdan and Kamil Glik have been rock solid at centre-back, with Pazdan’s displays being watched keenly by various Premier League scouts. Switzerland haven’t managed to score more than two goals all tournament either, so perhaps Poland’s centre-backs won’t be overworked today. They’ll have to be on alert at set-pieces, though. Both goals scored by the Swiss have come from corners. There’s a feeling that both of these teams have more to give. Two players from whom much was expected, Xherdan Shaqiri and Robert Lewandowski, have yet to find top gear. Shaqiri has even had to deal with accusations from Swiss media that he’s let himself go a bit at Stoke and is carrying a bit too much timber. “He has always been one who has a strong and muscular physique,” barked his team-mate Philipp Wollscheid. So, more Mr Strong than Mr Greedy.

Xherdan Shaqiri
Needs a goal today.

Still, it’s fair to say he’s been out of form and if Switzerland are to be more effective going forward they’ll need Shaqiri to improve. One player, who can’t be criticised is Arsenal’s bright new hope, Granit Xhaka. Not only has he been a bundle of energy in midfield, he’s also been a far more diligent passer than many thought he was. He treats the ball with care, that’s something that should go down very well with Arsène Wenger. In fact, the Swiss team are a ball-hogging bunch. They have the third-best possession stats in the competition, level with, um, England!

Grzegorz Krychowiak

As for Poland, they’re slight favourites with the bookies for this tie, in large part because Lewandowski has yet to score. When he does, well, look out Euro 2016! Get him started and he usually can’t stop. But their solid displays have been founded on the ability of Grzegorz Krychowiak to boss the centre of the park. Xhaka may meet his match out there today. It will be a fascinating tussle.

My prediction: Switzerland 1-2 Poland

Updated

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