EURO2016: Switzerland hold off gallant 10-man Albania

Fabian Schar’s fifth-minute header proved decisive as Switzerland edged out 10-man Albania 1-0 in their Euro 2016 opener at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Albania captain Lorik Cana, who was sent off in the first half, said there had once been a possibility of both brothers playing for Albania.

“It was very hard for us before the end of the game, trickier all the time”, said Granit and that, as Albania responded to the unstinting efforts of their support, should be some encouragement ahead of Wednesday’s match in Marseille.

“We felt the emotion during the game, but when it comes down to the referee, I don’t think there was a problem with that”, he said.

That cultural variety is certainly reflected in the Swiss team with Valon Behrami, Xherdan Shaqiri, Blerim Dzemaili and Admir Mehmedi – who along with Granit also started Saturday’s game – also of Albanian descent.

Not used to taking the game to the opposition – they scored just three goals at home in qualifying, and seven in total – the concession of an early goal could have rocked Albania.

The match included the brotherly duel between Albania’s Taulant Xhaka and Switzerland’s Granit Xhaka.

After Cana’s exit, Switzerland besieged the Albania goal, also hitting the post, and could have been two or three up at the break. Carballo produced a second yellow and a red.

“There was a hard atmosphere because six of our players were born there and it was hard also because the public were 80 percent for the Albanian side”.

Gianni Di Biasi’s team scored just 10 goals in eight games during qualifying and their task was made all the more hard by the dismissal of captain Lorik Cana, earning his 91st cap. “We simply needed to kill off the match”, the Swiss coach told a news conference. Albania goalkeeper Etrit Berisha had left his goal to intercept the ball but was just too late. “The pressure got to us and for 20 minutes we were under par”.

The Swiss had several chances in the second half kept out by Berisha, notably in the 66th minute when striker Haris Seferovic was put through with only the keeper to beat.

In the 87th minute Albania came close to an equalizer but forward Shkelzen Gashi wasted a one-on-one chance as his shot was saved by Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer.

“It was a very special moment for my family, it was rather freaky”, he said, after being named Man of the Match.