Xherdan Shaqiri inspires Switzerland to win over Lithuania

Posted Sunday, November 16, 2014 by skysports.com

Xherdan Shaqiri: Scores his second goal

Xherdan Shaqiri scored two late goals as Switzerland eventually claimed a 4-0 win over a stubborn Lithuania side in European Qualifying Group E.

Lithuania goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis had kept his side in it for over an hour but when his error handed the Swiss the lead, the floodgates opened.

Fabian Schar added the second and Shaqiri's brace made it a comfortable win for Switzerland who move level with their opponents on six points, six behind group leaders England.

The Swiss were straight on the front foot and Gokhan Inler brought the first save of the night out of Arlauskis after just four minutes with Haris Seferovic making the goalkeeper work again just moments later.

Admir Mehmedi then fired wide and Seferovic saw a header spectacularly saved as the home side bombarded the Lithuanian goal in the opening stages.

Blerim Dzemaili brought another fine save from Arlauskis just before the half-hour and the keeper was keeping his side in it as Lithuania lacked any sort of spark against their well-drilled opponents.

Shaqiri and Inler both missed the target in the closing stages of the half and the teams went into the break level despite 45 minutes of Swiss dominance.

Deividas Matulevicius gave Swiss stopper Yann Sommer his first work of note to do five minutes after the interval but that was the most respite they would get with Mehmedi hitting the post moments later.

Arlauskis had been the hero thus far for the visitors so it seemed almost cruel when his howler handed Switzerland the lead after 66 minutes.

Shaqiri whipped a corner into the near post and Arlauskis rose to claim but somehow managed to deflect the ball into his own net as he clashed with Josip Drmic.

Two minutes later it was 2-0 and once again it came from a corner. The initial set-piece was cleared but when the ball came back in Schar was on hand to apply a low finish with the visitors appealing for offside.

With 10 minutes remaining Shaqiri made it 3-0 as some good football ended with Drmic standing up a cross from the byline and the Bayern Munich man was on hand to head home.

And in the final minute the pair combined again with Inler finding Drmic and his low cross was finished by Shaqiri to complete the scoring.