Evening Standard
·15 June 2024
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·15 June 2024
Scotland must take points off the Swiss to have any hope of reaching the knockout stages
Scotland face Switzerland on Wednesday knowing a defeat could send them home from Euro 2024 at the earliest opportunity.
The Scots were thumped 5-1 by Germany in the tournament opener, leaving them an uphill challenge to advance from the group stage of a major tournament for the very first time, at the 12th time of asking.
Steve Clarke & Co. will have then watched on the followng day as Switzerland produced a fine first-half display and then held off a second-half fightback to beat Hungary 3-1 in Cologne to kickstart their Euro 2024 campaign.
The Swiss will be back at the Cologne Stadium on Wednesday when the Scots visit in both nations’ second Group A fixture.
More is expected from a Scotland side who qualified for the tournament by finishing second only to Spain, who they beat 2-0 in a famous win in Glasgow and ahead of Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard’s Norway. Switzerland conceded 11 goals during qualifying, so can certainly be got at if Clarke’s side can get it right.
Scotland vs Switzerland is scheduled for an 8pm BST kick-off on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
The match will take place at the Cologne Stadium.
Cologne Stadium
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TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 7:30pm BST.
Live stream: License fee payers can also catch the contest live online via the BBC iPlayer.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Free highlights: The ITV Sport and BBC Sport websites and YouTube channels will show highlights, which will go online after the match.
Ryan Porteous will serve a suspension against Switzerland after being shown a straight red card by referee Clement Turpin for a studs-up challenge on Ilkay Gundogan that led to Kai Havertz’s penalty goal in Scotland’s opening-night 5-1 defeat to hosts Germany in Munich on Friday.
That could mean Grant Hanley, who came off the bench against Germany, could be handed his first start of the tournament as Steve Clarke caters for that red card to Porteous.
Switzerland have a clean bill of health after coming through Saturday’s 3-1 win over Hungary unscathed. That means the likes of Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler and Fabian Schar could all start. Breel Embolo could force his way into the starting line-up after scoring their third off the bench in stoppage time.
Scotland have it all to do
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The Swiss are the favourites and have the greater tournament pedigree among the two teams, having missed just one major tournament since Euro 2004.
However, Scotland will have rolled their sleeves up after a rout from Germany on opening night, and they might just spring a surprise by getting off the mark.
Standard Sport prediction: Scotland 1-1 Switzerland
Scotland wins: 8
Draws: 3
Switzerland wins: 5
Scotland to win: 10/3
Draw: 5/2
Switzerland to win: 4/5
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).