Scotland overcame injury woes and self-inflicted setbacks to secure a crucial point against Switzerland, keeping their Euro 2024 campaign alive.
Qualification hero Scott McTominay’s deflected shot nearly lifted the roof off the deafening Cologne Stadium just 13 minutes in.
However, a bewildering blind back pass from Anthony Ralston gifted Xherdan Shaqiri an opportunity to sweep home a sublime first-time shot high beyond Angus Gunn.
Kieran Tierney pulled up clutching his hamstring as Dan Ndoye squandered a golden chance when through on goal, ruling Tierney out of Sunday’s game against Hungary.
Despite being already stretched thin in defense, the Scots rallied heroically in the closing stages, with Grant Hanley hitting the post with a header from an Andy Robertson free-kick.
The Swiss missed several late chances, but not enough to deny Scotland a point that moves them to third in Group A. A victory against Hungary would likely see them advance past the group stage for the first time in their history.
Scotland rise to give Tartan Army hope
At the base of the colossal Kolner Dom, tens of thousands of Scotland supporters braced themselves to watch their team tackle a challenge of similar magnitude.
In their 5-1 defeat by hosts Germany on Friday, the Scots were a mere shadow of the team that had stunned Norway and defeated Spain in qualifying just a year ago.
Their guile and determination abandoned them in the vast expanse of the Allianz Arena.
However, in the intense atmosphere of this match, they unsettled a Swiss team that had swept aside the Hungarians on match day one.
The opener was classic Scotland from the qualifiers. A McTominay header cleared a corner, with Andy Robertson charging the full length of the pitch.
When Callum McGregor eventually laid off a heavy pass to the Manchester United midfielder, his first-time shot took a significant deflection off Fabian Schar, rocketing high into the net.
There were still nervy moments on the right side of defense in the first half, with several heart-stopping instances as Switzerland squandered numerous clear chances.
But in the second half, Scotland attacked with fervor and fearlessness, giving themselves a fighting chance. That’s all Steve Clarke or the large Scotland crowd, who traveled from the city center, could have hoped for.
Missed opportunity for Switzerland?
Switzerland garnered much praise for their performance against Hungary, particularly during an exhilarating first half.
Against Scotland, their breaks in the opening 45 minutes were formidable, especially down Scotland’s problematic right side.
In Shaqiri, they possess a rare talisman. His wonder strike means he has now scored in the last three World Cups and European Championships.
The Swiss, aware that a win would secure their place in the last 16, had the ball in the net twice, only to be denied by narrow offside margins.
Additionally, they missed two glaring opportunities.
In the second half, as the game became more open and they threatened on the counter, they also showed vulnerability at the back.
They will see this as a missed opportunity, especially with Germany looming in their final group game. However, four points may still be enough to see them through.
What they said
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke: “It was nice to see them. We didn’t turn up in the first game. We’re a good team when we play.
“We always knew that the points we require would come from these two games. We’ve got one point now, that means we have a chance going into the last game.
“I believe if we get those three points, we go to the next stage.”
Scotland captain Andy Robertson: “More like us, much more like us. Aggressive, on the front foot, couldn’t get off to a better start.
“We make a mistake but Tony Ralston was unbelievable after that. Second half, he was different class.
“We had our chances but so did they. We were a lot more happy with that performance. We’ve taken it into the last game and that’s all we can ask.”
Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour: “We gave everything out there. We knew we had to bounce back after the last performance and it puts us in a good place.
“We’re a good team. We know our strengths. Tonight was more like a Scotland performance. Getting after the ball, passionate – everything was there.”