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Allen and Wu toil in 100-minute frame ‘embarrassment’, Higgins leads Murphy | World Snooker Championship
Wu Yize and Mark Allen’s semi-final is poised at seven frames all after their afternoon session ended with a bizarre frame – the longest in the World Snooker Championship’s Crucible era – clocking in at just over 100 minutes.
Allen began the afternoon trailing 6-2 overnight to an opponent high on confidence and belief, but fought back in style, winning five frames in succession to edge 7-6 ahead.
The session at the Crucible concluded with a remarkable 14th frame, with a cluster of eight reds jammed around the black ball on the edge of a corner pocket. It resulted in a lengthy stalemate, 55 minutes passing without a ball being potted.
Allen led the frame 47-13 and so did not want a re-rack. The referee, Marcel Eckardt, struggled to control the crowd after some spectators began slow clapping. But he seemed hesitant to act, and did so only after being prompted by the tournament director, Rob Spencer, who instructed Eckardt to tell the players they had three shots to resolve the situation or there would be a re-rack.
Allen was forced to commit a foul by knocking the black into the pocket, which enabled Wu to move ahead in the frame, eventually winning it 88-66 after a lengthy safety exchange and an excellent escape to hit the pink ball from in behind the black.
The gruelling frame was finally completed in one hour, 40 minutes and 21 seconds – the longest in history, and just eight minutes shorter than the Crucible’s quickest match. That came in 2020, when Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 10-1 in 108 minutes.
Steve Davis, six times the world champion, told BBC Sport: “In a nutshell, that frame is an embarrassment to snooker, and the referees and players’ association need to try to work out a way that never happens again.”
The seven-time winner Stephen Hendry called for the German official to end the stalemate much earlier, saying: “The referee’s got to get involved here, in my opinion. This is the dark side of snooker.”
Kyren Wilson, the 2024 champion, said: “I think Marcel Eckardt should’ve called that a lot earlier. That game was going nowhere, quite painful, but the fight and determination from Mark Allen is still incredible.”
The Northern Irishman had dug deep to win the first two frames of the afternoon, despite Wu making breaks of 32 and 51, and Allen needing snookers in the second. He followed that up with a tournament-best 145 break, then claimed another scrappy frame to go into the mid-session interval level at 6-6.
Allen maintained his momentum after the interval to go ahead with a 121 break, his ninth century of the tournament taking him one clear of Zhao Xintong as the tournament’s top break-builder. Three further frames were expected, but the extraordinary attritional battle of the 14th frame meant the session ended at 7-7.
John Higgins moved into a 13-11 lead over Shaun Murphy as their tight tussle continued on Friday evening. They went into the session tied at 8-8 and little separated them in an entertaining battle.
Murphy started the evening session with a break of 60 to clinch the opening frame but Higgins replied with a run of 55. Some mistakes in the following frame resulted in a close scoreline before Higgins took advantage and potted the brown, blue and pink in quick succession to take a one-frame lead. But Murphy responded with a commanding display to win the next, hitting a comfortable 82 break to draw level again at 10-10 at the mid-session interval.
After the restart, Higgins looked to have allowed Murphy back in, but the Scot’s early break of 63 underpinned the frame as he potted the pink to win.
Murphy again levelled with one visit to the table, hitting a 105 break to become the fifth player to reach 100 century breaks at the Crucible. Higgins then took control towards the end of the session, winning back-to-back frames including a 101 break in the final one to hold a slender overnight advantage.
Key events
31 min: Penalty to Canada!
Buchanan gets behind the defence and is bundled over by Homam Ahmed. He is booked. It might have been a red card because he wasn’t trying to play the ball, but there’s also an argument that it wasn’t a foul.
Canada are on course for their first World Cup win – and with it, almost certainly, a place in the knockout stage. Tajon Buchanan’s low shot from distance was blocked, with the ball spinning towards Jonathan David 12 yarsd from goal. He reacted beautifully to judge the flight of the ball and then snap a volley past Abumada at the near post. Ordinarily you’d criticise a keeper for being beaten at the near post but that was so well struck by David.
GOAL! Canada 2-0 Qatar (David 29)
Canada are in the process of making history!
24 min Time for a hydration break. And did you know that water is a healthy and cheap choice to keep you hydrated, but other drinks can also count towards your fluid intake. We also get some fluids from the foods we eat.
Not getting enough fluids can lead to dehydration. Dehydration means your body loses more fluids than you take in. If it’s not treated, it can get worse and become a serious problem.
Also, a 30-second advert during these breaks is reportedly worth hundreds of thousands to Fox.
23 min “Wales didn’t just “make it to the knockouts” in 1958,” says Matt Dony, who should know because he was there. “They were probably one John Charles injury away from eliminating Brazil. After being kicked around the park by Hungary in the previous game, Charles was unfit to face Brazil. Even Pele has since said that, had Charles played, Wales would likely have won. Still, there was always 2022. And at this rate, we’ll have another crack at World Cup glory in 2086…”
John Charles was a giant of a player, but I still think Brazil would have won 1-0 in the counterfactual quarter-final.
21 min Ali Ahmed’s free-kick from the right is headed wide by Cornelius. It was no sort of chance, with loads of players jumping for the ball at the same time. One of them, Qatar centre-half Boualem Khoukhi, has stayed down holding his face. I think Cornelius accidentally headed him on the side of the face after making contact with the ball.
19 min Most of Canada’s best attacks have come down the right through Johnston and Buchanan. They win another corner on that side, but nothing comes of it this time.
Edmilson Jr. tried to dribble out of trouble but was pressed by David and conceded a corner. When Ali Ahmed’s corner was half cleared, Johnston scurried to the byline on the right and clipped a good cross towards the unmarked David 12 yards out. His stinging shot was spilled by Abunada and Larin gobbled up the rebound. It’s second goal of the tournament, and he’s only played about half an hour.
GOAL! Canada 1-0 Qatar (Larin 16)
Check the decibel levels: Cyle Larin has put Canada in front!
13 min It’s been a bright start to the game. Canada are dominating possession, as expected, but Qatar look sharp and purposeful on the break.
9 min Cornelius is booked for a foul on the lively Akram Afif.
8 min Zach Neeley’s email begins with the oldest opening line in the book.
Speaking of the 1958 group stage, England drew 0-0 with Brazil, which was the first scoreless draw in World Cup history. Lucky sods back then didn’t know how good they had it. Not bad for England against the first team to win outside of their own continent (which I believed held up till 2010) and didn’t give up a goal until the semi-finals. Wales and Northern Ireland made it to the knock outs while England didn’t after losing a tiebreakeragainst the Soviet Union (no goal difference, 2nd and 3rd played each other if on equal points).
Northern Ireland also needed a playoff to get through, which meant the quarter-final against France was their third game in five days. No wonder they were plugged 4-0.
7 min Ali Ahmed’s corner from the right is headed away, but he collects the loose ball and curls a good cross beyond the far post. The unmarked David meets it with a technically excellent volley that is pushed away by Abunada, diving to his right. Lovely effort, though Abunada would expect to save that 39 times out of 40.
4 min Canada appeal for a penalty – for anything – when Laryea is bundled over on the edge of the area. The referee doesn’t think it was a foul, in or outside the box.
3 min “I found myself in Paris for the Croatia game in 2018, with some Japanese colleagues who seemed somewhat confused by my total lack of interest in conversation once the game started,” writes Tom Hopkins. “I did, however, find myself sat next to a lovely Croatian couple and we were sympathetic to each other as fortunes ebbed and flowed.
“In the fullness of time, actually quite a happy memory. At the time, not so much. Kane should have passed to Sterling.
It’s sometimes forgotten that, though Croatia were undoubtedly the better team, England could have put them away before half-time. I was in Perth for work, so the match started at 2am I think. I wasn’t exactly the poster boy for productivity the following day. Well, the same day; you know what I mean.
1 min A quarter-chance for Qatar after 41 seconds. Akram Arif’s dummy allows Homam Ahmed to surge into space on the left and curl an inviting cross beyond the far post. It arrives at a slightly awkward height for Edmilson Jr, who can’t quite adjust his body in time and slices a volley well wide. Lovely move, though.
1 min Peep peep! Canada kick off from left to right as we watch.
“Afternoon Rob from Ottawa (our sleepy capital),” writes Eddy Nason. “There’s even a big screen showing this game at my daughter’s school BBQ so people here must be into this! Go Canada!”
Jesse Marsch’s pre-match thoughts
We feel that Cyle [Larin] is a good match-up for this game. We need a presence in the box; it’s a game where both Cyle and Jonny [David] can both find goals if they’re aggressive and ready for moments.
[On how long the returning Ali Ahmed might last] We’ll check in at half-time and see where’s at. He’s a naturally fit guy – we’ll evaluate at 45 and then again at 60.
JS, the president of the Voyageurs, sent me a video that I saw a few minutes ago and looks like there’s about 70 million people marching to the stadium! We’re excited, we want to make sure we put on a performance that is very Canadian: it’s about fighting, it’s about working for each other and bringing the crowd into the game.
We want to make sure we’re on the front foot, that we’re the aggressor and we go after the game at every moment.
“There’s no point in beating a dead horse,” says Rebekah Voss, gawping at a dead horse, “but I can’t stop thinking about yesterday’s England match. See, back in 2018, I was 13 years old and sent to summer camp in the middle of nowhere. One of our counsellors was an unlucky sod from England who was crazy into the World Cup and was more than happy to explain to the kids how the sport worked and that England was obviously the best team ever. He got us all hooked.
“Then one fateful day he comes tearing across the lawn when we‘re off to disc golf and screams ENGLAND SCORED! WE ARE GOING TO WIN! That game was, of course, the semi-final versus Croatia. We watched how everything went downhill. It was my first-ever heartbreak. I saw the first half yesterday and thought, it’s going to happen again. I am so pleased that it didn’t.
“Mark from Summer Camp, if you’re reading this by any chance, thanks for making me fall in love with the beautiful game, curse you for making me like England of all teams… But most of all, I hope that you, too, feel a certain sense of satisfaction.”
I was thinking about that game the other day, specifically how a hydration break might have changed it. England were getting overrun in midfield before Ivan Perisic equalised in the 68th minute, so maybe an ad break would have slowed Croatia’s momentum. I’m loath to say it would have given England the chance to stiffen their midfield because Gareth Southgate was quite passive at that stage of his career.
Reintroducing Qatar’s star man
Ben Fisher
The hype around Johan Manzambi will only heighten after his star turn from the substitutes’ bench helped Switzerland out of a hole and get their tournament truly up and running. The 20-year-old managed to excel for Freiburg in their comprehensive Europa League final defeat against Aston Villa last month and, with 73 minutes played here and three minutes after entering as part of a triple substitution, his superb volley put an end to a sterile contest, hooking a right-foot shot into the Bosnia and Herzegovina net.
At that point Switzerland had registered eight shots, three on target, but things unravelled in the final third. It was, of course, a similar story in their opener against Qatar, when they finished with 26 shots but had to settle for a draw. Manzambi scored twice here, his second finish understated but sumptuous, before Ermin Mahmic thumped in an unstoppable volley in stoppage time, the ball clocked at 71mph according to the wraparound LED screen. Switzerland’s captain, Granit Xhaka, capped the scoring from the penalty spot after Amar Memic tripped Djibril Sow.
Full time: Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Switzerland have several toes in the knockout stage after overwhelming Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 20 minutes in LA. Freiburg’s Johan Manzambi, aged 20, came off the bench to score twice.
Team news
Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch makes two changes. Cyle Larin, who came off the bench to equalise against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ali Ahmed come in for Liam Millar and Tani Oluwaseyi. Alphonso Davies is among the substitutes.
Qatar are unchanged.
Canada (4-4-2) Crepeau; Johnston, De Fougerolles, Cornelius, Laryea; Buchanan, Kone, Eustaquio, Ahmed; J David, Larin.
Subs: St Clair, Goodman, Waterman, Bombito, Davies, Sigur, Choiniere, Millar, Shaffelburg, Osorio, Saliba, Oluwaseyi, P David, Nelson.
Qatar (4-2-3-1) Abunada; Alawi, Miguel, Khoukhi, Ahmed; Laye, Gaber; Edmilson Junior, Madibo, Afif; Abdurisag.
Subs: Zakaria, Barsham, Mendes, Al-Brake, Hussein, Hatem, Boudiaf, Al-Ganehi, Fathy, Alaaeldin, Muntari, Al-Haydos, Ali, Jamshid, Al-Mannai.
Referee Cristian Garay (Chile)
It’s no longer goalless in the match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Daniel Gallan has more.
Jonathan Wilson
Daichi Kamada’s late equaliser for Japan against the Netherlands on Sunday did not merely mean that the scoreline more accurately reflected the game. It also extended to four the unbeaten run of teams from the Asian confederation against Europe at this tournament. There is a degree of contingency to that record, and nobody should draw definitive conclusions from the first week of a World Cup, but equally if there were a shift in the power dynamics of world football, it might look a bit like this.
The tone was set on day one with South Korea’s victory over Czech Republic. It perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise to anybody who saw their qualifying playoff semi-final against Ireland that the Czechs would be so ponderous and lumbering, a side that understood the value of dead balls and long throws and little else. But still, the ease with which South Korea passed their way around them was striking. If Son Heung-min had been the player he was three or four years ago, the Korean victory would have been far more emphatic.
With 20 minutes remaining, it’s still goalless in Los Ageless. Maybe we’re heading for a repeat of Group E at USA 94, when Norway finished bottom despite collecting the same points as the group winners Mexico.
Jeff Rueter
Asked how he’s handling the scrutiny of coaching a World Cup co-host – where even apparently insignificant comments can end up in the headlines – Jesse Marsch was quick to flash a grin.
“Maybe we’ll get through this one without creating news cycles,” Marsch quipped a day before his Canada team welcome Qatar to Vancouver for a pivotal Group B clash. The teams are level on one point each after the first round of games, leaving the group wide open.
Marsch and midfielder Ismaël Koné refused to look beyond Thursday’s match though. Koné pushed back against one reporter’s insinuation that the players are more anonymous in Vancouver than in Toronto, the site of their draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week. But training in British Columbia since Monday has allowed Marsch and his men to ease the pressure of being co-hosts.
“The bigger the event, there’s going to be more distractions,” Marsch said, “so we’ve tried to minimize that. But at the same time, it’s really difficult to prepare for everything, the madness that surrounds … a World Cup.”
Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other match in this group, is goalless at half-time. You can follow the second half with Daniel Gallan.
The Group B story so far
Who fancies a bit of history? Fear not, we’re not about to impose 5,000 words on the group stage of the 1958 World Cup upon you. We’re talking about making history, something Canada or Qatar could do in the next few hours.
They’ve already made a small bit of history by drawing their opening games, the first time either team had picked up a point at a men’s World Cup. Today they can achieve something more substantial. A win for either team would be their first at a World Cup – and, most importantly, would pretty much ensure qualification for the knockout stage.
Yes, yes, the knockout stage is the last 32, which before this tournament would have been the group stage, so what does it really mean. Never mind that legitimate but slightly joyless view. In the modern world we need every good-news story we can get; when this game gets going, the footballers of Canada and Qatar will have the chance to become immortal.
Kick off 3pm local time/6pm EDT/11pm BST/8am AEST
Rob will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s how Canada are preparing for today’s game:
Asked how he’s handling the scrutiny of coaching a World Cup co-host – where even apparently insignificant comments can end up in the headlines – Jesse Marsch was quick to flash a grin.
“Maybe we’ll get through this one without creating news cycles,” Marsch quipped a day before his Canada team welcome Qatar to Vancouver for a pivotal Group B clash. The teams are level on one point each after the first round of games, leaving the group wide open.
Marsch and midfielder Ismaël Koné refused to look beyond Thursday’s match though. Koné pushed back against one reporter’s insinuation that the players are more anonymous in Vancouver than in Toronto, the site of their draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week. But training in British Columbia since Monday has allowed Marsch and his men to ease the pressure of being co-hosts.
“The bigger the event, there’s going to be more distractions,” Marsch said, “so we’ve tried to minimize that. But at the same time, it’s really difficult to prepare for everything, the madness that surrounds … a World Cup.”
You can read the full report below:
Natasha, Gemma and Helen say finding each other has been a “fairy tale”.
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Key events
GOAL! Switzerland 1-0 Bosnia & Herzegovina (Manzambi, 75)
Straight off the bench!
73 min: Dedic, on a card, wrestles Akanji down on to the ground as he chases a lost cause down Bosnia’s right. The game has certainly stretched. Feels like the midfield is less compact than it was about 15 minutes ago.
71 min: Final quarter (more or less) underway.
69 min: Kobel makes a save as Dedic fires from deep on the angle on the right. That ball was swerving and the Swiss keeper needed to get low.
And just as Bosnia has started to exert themselves on the game, just as they have wrestled back momentum and the crowd has found their voice, we are taking a hydration break.
I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!
66 min: Oh that is disappointing. Basic’s ball doesn’t beat the first man. All the Bosnians made a far post run so that needed to be much deeper. Kolasinac gets the ball down the left and wriggles. Alajbegovic monstered by two hefty defenders in red. The kid is lively. I’d like to see more of him as this game stretches.
65 min: The Bosnians are on the ball and their fans are chanting. They are starting to believe they can nick something here. Now they have a free kick from a potentially dangerous area on the left as Elvedi is booked for a clumsy tackle.
62 min: It’s a bit stop-start at the minute. Another Bosnian foul on halfway halts a sweeping counter. But they’ve worked it well and Ndoye has a sniff inside the Bosnian box after a cute little ball round the corner from Rieder. But it’s cleared for a corner.
Embolo sticks a head at the delivery and gets a small piece on it, forcing a save at the near post from Vasilj. But it was never going to beat the keeper.
Dzeko’s race is run. He’s replaced by Bajraktarevic. Tahirovic is also hooked for Basic.
61 min: Dzeko is booked after clattering Akanji late. He’s still rushing the Swiss centrebacks. Fair play to the old geezer.
59 min: Back to the footy, a long Bosnian throw down their left is cleared off a Swiss head. The Swiss break and Dedic is shown a yellow card for tugging at the cantering Ndoye. Will be interesting to see how that duel develops now.
For the record, I think this has been a great World Cup so far.
There will always be a few duds, but that’s sport.
Matt Burtz adds:
“It is axiomatic that group stage matches must be completed for there to be a knockout stage. This is why I bristle at the notion that certain group stage matches don’t matter; teams only advance if they actually win/draw said matches. Ultimately teams have to perform on the field. And as a result sometimes there will be clunkers, but that’s the way it goes”.
In an email titled ‘Group Stage Stinkers’ David Hindle just says “Italy 1982. Sulphurous.”
56 min: BEST MOMENT OF THE GAME! No, it’s not a goal, but it’s a stunning effort from Ndoye who unfurls a textbook perfect bicycle kick to a cross from the right. He caught it perfectly but it was straight at Vasilj who raised his hands and made the save from about eight metres out. Phew, that would have been really special.
55 min: Corner to Switzerland as Dzeko has his pocket picked by Ekanji who then unleashes Ndoye. The Swiss winger runs hard and straight and shoots though it’s blocked behind. Dzeko takes a while to get back to his feet, partly in embarrassment I’m assuming.
53 min: That’s sort of a chance. Freuler drifts a ball into the box from the left. Aebischer charges in from midfield and leaps towards it at the back post. He’s in no position to get the header on target, but that was a handy run. On another day it’s all inch perfect. But that day is not this day.
51 min: Better from the Swiss. Ekanji drops a shoulder high up the pitch and pings a pass to Ndoye who is free on the left wing. He cuts infield and lets loose a shot from the edge of the box. He goes near post and doesn’t catch it. Still, he forces Vasilj into a save low down.
50 min: Embolo is double marked with Katic cleaning him up. Bosnia will be pleased with this opening five minutes.
49th min: Embolo has the first touch of a trampoline as the ball bounces off him and is cleared away. Switzerland have not started this half with the requisite zip they need to break the deadlock.
Graeme Neill isn’t wrong, is he?
Everybody gets misty eyed about the group stages, arguing that they’re the best opportunity in a World Cup for absolute classic matches. That’s probably true but as that half and the match earlier show, they’re also the best opportunity for some absolute stinkers.
46 min: More of the same, really. Rodriguez hoists a lame cross from the left that is easily headed away.
Second half
Salad wolfed down, five-year-old running about like a maniac well past his bed time, the players in California are out and about and ready to go.
Let’s get this on!
James Humphries has a head scratcher for ya’ll:
One thing worth noting – I think this came up in a previous mbm, but, like, I’ve seen Uzbekistan-colombia and iran-eli just in real time so cut me some slack if I’m a bit confused – is that the refereeing so far has been… sensible? As a scarred Scottish premiership watcher, I keep seeing meaty tackles go in, waiting for the whistle, and then having a moment where I try to reconcile I) the referee clearly just seeing contact in a contact sport with II) the way I’m used to seeing a contact sport being (badly) refereed.
I broadly agree. In fact, there have only been two howlers I can recall.
The first was not giving France a penalty against Senegal and the second was giving South Africa a penalty against Czechia.
The first was immaterial as France got the comfortable win anyway and I have no issue with the second as it helped my countrymen nab an undeserving point.
So full marks to the whistle blowers as far as I’m concerned, though I’m sure many of you are readying a robust reply.
Here comes an email dump which should give me enough time to shovel some dinner down:
Julien Menz:
I tried to get my daughter (10) into the sweden and England games (we live in Sweden) but she had better things to do.
Now, after watching clips of fans from various nations (looking at you England, Scotland and the Netherlands), she’s up for every game.
I’ve actually done a watch-every-game-possible WC, but that was Tequila-fuelled back in 06.
Next she’ll want me to take her to Glastonbury….
Russell Brady:
Swiss not the same after [redacted bit – but it’s Shaqiri]
There’s loads more about hydration breaks, the grim commercialisation of the beautioful game and a few cheese and banker jokes, though, as Justin Kavanagh says, “I’m staying neutral”.
See you in a bit. There’s a tuna nicoise with my name on it.
Switzerland had all the ball but failed to do anything with it.
73% possession but only one more – four to three – attempt than Bosnia. And most of those were from range.
Xhaka was been majestic but that’s about it.
Half-time: Switzerland 0-0 Bosnia & Herzegovina
That’ll be that. Pretty drab if I’m being honest.
45+3 min: I’m going to copy and paste “Ndoye jinks down the left, wriggles, cuts but can’t find the final ball”. Because that has happened yet again and I’m sure it won’t be the last time it happens.
45+2 min: More good defensive work from the Bosnians as they easily clear a Rodriguez clipped cross from the byline down the left.
45+1 min: That Rodriguez ball that bounces into the arms of Vasilj and is nowhere near a teammate sums it up. He smiles, but this has been very frustrating from the Swiss. Once again Ndoye runs around down the left but doesn’t get a cross away.
44 min: Ooooh, Bosnia should have done better there. Lovely from Alajbegovic who gathered on the left flank, cut infield and waited for Kolasinac to run past him. Dzeko was at the back post but the ball didn’t reach him as the cross was steered away for a Bosnian corner. They can’t do anything with the set piece opportunity. Still, that was slick interplay.
43 min: Dedic runs down the Bosnian right. He looks more confident as he takes on a defender. But he leaves the ball behind and Switzerland are back on it to the sound of boos. Funny game this.
40 min: Dzeko shoots from inside Switzerland’s box and it’s closed down. Much better from Bosnia who unfurled a sweeping move that took them on the edge of the Swiss area. They lost the ball but won it back after a cheap giveaway by the Swiss. As it rolled across the D, Dzeko lined up his effort but the onrushing cover from Akanji was too quick for him. Again, that just proves how precarious this is for the Swiss despite their dominance of the ball.
39 min: The ball hits the referee as Xhaka’s forward pass doesn’t reach its target. Always exciting/frustrating. They restart with with a dropped ball and Switzerland are back on the attack. Ndoye cuts this way and that, Dedic has him covered and the call is for a goal kick. Ndoye can’t believe it. Dedic will be pleased with how that tussle is going so far.
36 min: Switzerland all over Bosnia. They win a corner when Embolo’s header back infield bounces off a defender. But you know what, Katic and co are up to the task. After from that Freuler fizzer just before the break, they’ve kept Switzerland at arm’s length despite the possession imbalance. And now Memic cuts infield off his left wing and fires a shot. It’s straight at Kobel and from a long way out. But that underlines the danger of this scoreline.
34 min: Ndoye has his man on toast down the left. He just can’t find that final pass. Not for the first time he drops a shoulder and gets himself into a crossing position. The ball is drilled low and is easily cleared.
33 min: That’s woken up the Bosnian fans who are back to booing as Switzerland pass the ball around. Widmer plays a give and go that almost puts him free inside the right of Bosnia’s box. But once again swift defence on the cover snuffs out the danger.
32 min: Alajbegovic slips in a lovely ball for Dzeko down the left inside the Swiss box. The veteran forward looks up and dinks a floater to the back post but no one can get on the end of it. Really good from young Alajbegovic. He needs more of the ball if they can get it to him. Bosnia’s best move of the game.
30 min: As expected, that drinks break has stripped Switzerland of their fluency. They’ve been reduced to lumping long balls to Embolo who has been well covered by the Bosnian centrebacks.
27 min: A rare loose pass from Xhaka in an advanced position lets Bosnia off the hook. But Switzerland are back on it after sloppiness from Bosnia though Embolo can’t bring the ball under control. Now Bosnia are on the ball with Memic down the left. This is their longest spell in possession. There’s a tame ball into the box from young Alajbegovic which Xhaka, back lending a hand, hoofs away.
25 min: They’re back after a drink.
Stephen McCrossan just wants to say that “Granit Xhaka is a lovely footballer”.
He really is.
Russell Brady adds: “Swiss attack asking questions, unlike the country’s banking executives”
Four readers have made jokes about cheese.
Hydration break. Yuck. I wonder if that might take some of the wind out of Switzerland’s sails. They’ve utterly dominated this first quarter.
23 min: Freuler has a pop from long range and it fizzes past the post on the right as Vasilj dives across. Fair enough. Switzerland were zipping it around but not quite working the shooting opportunity.
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