No fewer than four of our first-team squad featured for their respective nations at the World Cup on Sunday.
Granit Xhaka and Stephan Lichtsteiner’s World Cup began in promising fashion after they helped Switzerland to a hard-fought point against Brazil in Rostov.
Philippe Coutinho gave the five-time world champions a first-half advantage with a fine curling strike, but Steven Zuber headed home from Sheridan Shaqiri’s corner shortly after the break to secure a point. Lichtsteiner played 87 minutes for the Swiss, with Xhaka taking the captain’s armband when our right back was replaced.
In Group E’s other game, Joel Campbell came off the bench in the second half but could not prevent Costa Rica’s 1-0 defeat against Serbia - Aleksandar Kolarov scoring the winner courtesy of a sweetly-hit free-kick.
Meanwhile, there was a shock in Group F, as Mesut Ozil’s Germany began the defence of the trophy with a 1-0 defeat to Mexico.
Hirving Lozano scored the game’s only goal in the first half.
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