Switzerland’s national soccer team faces relegation woes after a 2-2 draw with Denmark in the Nations League, missing their chance for a first win and a quarter-final spot. Portugal also struggled, settling for a 0-0 draw against Scotland, while Croatia tied 3-3 with Poland. In contrast, Spain secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Serbia, solidifying their place in the quarter-finals. Switzerland remains last in their group following a strong performance at the European Championships.
Switzerland’s national football team has shown promise with impressive performances during the European Football Championships, but their journey in the Nations League is more complicated. A recent draw against Denmark has left them in a precarious position, while both Portugal and Spain navigate through their own challenges.
After failing to secure a victory in their fourth Nations League match, Switzerland’s chances of advancing to the quarter-finals have evaporated. The team, captained by Bayer Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka, played to a 2-2 draw against Denmark in a crucial match that took place in front of 16,182 fans at Kybunpark in St. Gallen, raising concerns about their relegation status.
Remo Freuler (26th minute) and Zeki Amdouni (45th+1, penalty) provided Switzerland with leads during the match, but Denmark’s Gustav Isaksen (27th) and Christian Eriksen (69th) countered, equalizing both times. With this result, Switzerland now sits bottom of Group A4, accumulating only one point, while Serbia holds four points. This comes after a strong performance in the recent European Championships, where they faced a heartbreaking quarter-final exit against England on penalties. Meanwhile, Denmark has moved to seven points and is looking strong for a quarter-final berth alongside Spain, which leads the group with ten points.
Coach Murat Yarkin admitted that the team had “a lot to make up for” following their previous 2-0 loss to Serbia, which the media described as disheartening. The excitement from Freuler’s early goal was short-lived, as Isaksen swiftly capitalized on a defensive lapse. Although Amdouni’s penalty extended their lead, Eriksen’s response created a frustrating turn for the Swiss side.
Portugal’s Draw Stalls Progress
Portugal faced their own hurdles as Cristiano Ronaldo was unable to help secure a quarter-final spot following a goalless draw against Scotland at Hampden Park. Despite dominating possession, the Portuguese squad failed to convert their chances into goals, while Scotland managed to earn a crucial point in their fight against relegation.
Joao Palhina from Bayern provided a solid performance for Portugal, but their best opportunity came from Bruno Fernandes (88′), who was thwarted by an impressive save from Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Ronaldo was in position for a potential rebound but could not capitalize. Portugal will seek redemption in their upcoming matches against Poland on November 15 and Croatia three days later.
Croatia, who recently performed admirably in the World Cup, also drew in a thrilling match against Poland, finishing 3-3. Despite taking an early lead through Piotr Zielinski (5′), Croatia’s squad, featuring star Luka Modrić, saw quick goals from Borna Sosa (19′), Petar Sucic (24′), and Martin Baturina (26′). Polish young talent Nicola Zalewski equalized just before halftime and later assisted Sebastian Szymanski to level the score again at 3-3 after coming off the bench. Croatia managed to secure the draw even with a red card for goalkeeper Dominik Livaković (76′).
Spain Closing in on the Quarter-Finals
Meanwhile, Spain is on track for a quarter-final spot after a commanding 3-0 victory over Serbia at Estadio Nuevo Arcángel in Cordoba. The defending champions displayed dominance and, even with two losses in their remaining group games, are likely to secure one of the top two spots in Group A4.
However, should Spain falter against Denmark on November 15 and Switzerland on November 18, they may find themselves in a three-way tie with Serbia and Denmark, depending on goal difference. Goals from Aymeric Laporte (5′), captain Alvaro Morata (65′), and Alex Baena (77′) solidified Spain’s win, though Morata also had a near miss that resulted in a handball. Serbia’s Strahinja Pavlovic (76′) was shown a red card for a foul just before Baena’s goal, which came following a VAR review.