In a dramatic European Championship qualifier held in neutral Hungary, Israel secured a crucial 1-1 draw against Switzerland, dealing a blow to the latter’s hopes of directly qualifying for the Euro 2024 finals in Germany. The match saw a late 88th-minute equalizer by Shon Weissman, forcing Switzerland to now rely on a victory against Kosovo over the weekend to secure their place in the tournament.
Switzerland, leading Group I with 16 points from eight matches, had looked poised to secure their spot in the Euro 2024 finals after Ruben Vargas headed home unmarked in the 36th minute. However, Weissman’s late goal kept Israel in contention, sitting third in the group with 12 points, as all three countries have two games remaining.
Despite Switzerland’s dominance, hitting the woodwork twice and Vargas having a goal disallowed, Israel displayed resilience in the second half. Dor Turgeman’s efforts, including a header bouncing off the bar and a long-range attempt, kept the Swiss goalkeeper, Yann Sommer, on his toes.
The match, originally scheduled last month but postponed due to security concerns in Israel, has intensified the qualifying campaign for Israel, playing four games in nine days. Switzerland, now needing a win against Kosovo, faces a tense encounter in their remaining fixtures against Romania.
