Germany held in Switzerland

Switzerland 1-1 Germany
Goals: 0-1 Gündogan (14'), 1-1 Widmer (58')

Both sides showed plenty of attacking intent early on but it was Germany defender Matthias Ginter who teed up Gündogan to curl home the opener inside a quarter of an hour, beating the former’s Borussia Mönchengladbach teammate Yann Sommer in the Switzerland goal. The setback appeared to wake the hosts up as they took control and began carving out chances of their own. First, Wolfsburg forward Renato Steffen was denied by the feet of Bernd Leno before former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Haris Seferovic passed up a golden chance when picked out unmarked by current Eagle Djibril Sow and later hit the outside of the post. A smart double save by Sommer from point-blank range against Julian Draxler and Leroy Sane served as a warning that Switzerland had to take their chances.

And that they did just before the hour mark when Breel Embolo, the fourth Gladbach player in the two starting XIs, got his reward for an impressive, selfless performance by teeing up Silvan Widmer for the equaliser. However, Embolo’s night was cut short following a collision with club colleague Ginter that saw him sustain a foot injury. A former Foal, Granit Xhaka, was holding a personal battle with Arsenal teammate and one-time Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper Leno but failed to find a way through despite a number of long-range efforts. Augsburg winger Ruben Vargas came close to a Swiss winner with a late back heel, but it ended honours even in Basel as Germany make it two 1-1 draws in as many Nations League games. They sit third in Group A4 on two points, ahead of Switzerland (one points) but behind Ukraine (three) and Spain (four).

• Four Gladbach players featured in this game, of which three were for Switzerland.
• Both assists were provided by Borussia players.
• Embolo set up a game-best five attempts on goal.
• Ginter had the most for Germany (three).
• Germany are yet to win a match in the Nations League (D4 L2).
• Switzerland are unbeaten in 17 competitive matches at home (W14 D3).

Switzerland: Sommer – Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez (Zuber 64') – Widmer, Sow (Aebischer 80'), Xhaka (c), Benito – Embolo (Vargas 72'), Steffen – Seferovic
Subs: Mvogo, Omlin, Lang, Fassnacht, Ajeti, Gavranovic, Sohm, Omeragic
Out: Drmic (not included), Freuler (not included), Mehmedi (not included), Schär (not included), Zakaria (not included)
Coach: Vladimir Petkovic

Germany: Leno – Ginter, Süle (Tah 62'), Rüdiger – Kehrer, Gündogan, Kroos (c), Gosens (Can 78') – Draxler, Werner, Sane (Brandt 46')
Unused subs: Trapp, Baumann, Neuhaus, Waldschmidt, Koch, Serdar
Out: Gnabry (not included), Goretzka (not included), Havertz (personal leave), Kimmich (not included), Klostermann (not included), Neuer (not included), Reus (not included)
Doubtful: Schulz (calf)
Coach: Joachim Löw

FULL-TIME!

It's a point apiece between Switzerland and Germany in the Nations League.

90'+1 TEASING HEADER

An Akanji free-kick goes straight into the Germany wall, but the ball comes back into the box with Xhaka coming in around the back. He puts his header right back across goal, causing Leno to scramble, but it bounces wide.

90' THREE ADDITIONAL MINUTES

86' VARGAS!

It's definitely the Swiss who are pushing for a late winner as Vargas tries a back heel as the ball comes across the six-yard box, but he doesn't quite get enough on it.

85' XHAKA!

Granit Xhaka hits a free-kick from some 25 yards towards the bottom left corner of Leno's goal, but the Arsenal goalkeeper gets down quickly to deny his club teammate.

80' ELVEDI FORWARD!

Another Gladbach man in the action as Nico Elvedi pops up on the edge of the Germany box but he blasts his shot over the bar.

78' CAN FOR GOSENS

Third and final substitution for Germany.

72' EMBOLO OFF

It's always a worry when Embolo takes a blow on his foot or ankle, and he's struggling with it again now. He goes off in place of Augsburg's Ruben Vargas. Embolo had been brilliant tonight, having a hand in six attempts on goal, including the assist.

69' EMBOLO DOWN

Look away now Marco Rose, but one of your defenders has just taken out one of your strikers as Ginter falls on Embolo, who remains down and in need of treatment. He eventually makes it off the pitch with the help of the medics but he looks in some pain. Both Gladbach players have provided the assists this evening.

67' XHAKA AGAIN!

Xhaka range this time as the Swiss captain lets fly from a good 30 yards. It swerves all over the place but Leno reacts well to parry and then collect the loose ball.

62' TAH ON

Second change for Germany sees Jonathan Tah replace Niklas Süle in defence.

58' WIDMER EQUALISES!

Excellent play from Embolo and he gets his reward with an assist as he draws defenders towards him before squaring for wing-back Silvan Widmer arriving from the opposite side to smash home his first international goal.

55' LICHTSTEINER IN THE HOUSE

Former Augsburg defender Stephan Lichtsteiner is in the stands taking notes as part of his coaching course. The right-back won 108 caps for Switzerland before retiring this summer.

52' DRAXLER!

A piercing pass from Ginter picks out Draxler in the box. A touch takes it out of his feet and he tries to pick out the bottom corner, but a telling foot from Elvedi ensures it deflects behind.

49' STEFFEN BOOKED

A yellow card for the Wolfsburg man after a foul on Gündogan and he's suspended for the next game.

46' BRANDT ON

Joachim Löw makes a change at the break as Julian Brandt replaces Leroy Sane.

BUSY BREEL

Breel Embolo has created four chances so far, which is the most of any player for either team. The Gladbach forward has also had one attempt himself.

HALF-TIME!

A very entertaining first 45 minutes in Basel. Plenty of chances for both sides but it's Germany who hold the lead thanks to Gündogan's striker inside a quarter of an hour.

Die Mannschaft hold a half-time lead in the Nations League for the third time. The previous two saw them lose 2-1 to France in October 2018 and draw 2-2 with the Netherlands (after leading 2-0) in November 2018.

44' XHAKABOOM!

A venomous effort from the edge of the box by the Switzerland captain, but he's denied by his Arsenal teammate Leno as he tips it over the bar.

42' OFF THE POST!

Another great run from Seferovic to get onto Steffen's through ball, but again the Benfica man squanders his chance by smashing it against the outside of the post.

38' WERNER OVER THE BAR

A quick transition by the 2014 world champions ends with Gosens teeing up Werner to the left of centre. The former Stuttgart and Leipzig striker goes with his laces but drills his effort over the corner of the goal.

36' SEFEROVIC DEFLECTED!

Cheers went up around St. Jakob-Park with people thinking this had gone in, but Seferovic's shot, deflected by Ginter, instead landed on the roof of the net.

31' BRILLIANT SAVE(S) FROM SOMMER!

Excellent from the Gladbach keeper to twice deny Germany with point-blank saves. The first from Draxler after Werner's square ball from the left, the second the follow-up from Sane just a few yards out.

28' SEFEROVIC!

That really had to be the equaliser for Switzerland. Sow beats the offside to get onto a ball over the top into the box and he squares it for the striker completely unmarked around the penalty spot, but he fluffs his lines and the ball bounces off him and back to Sow in an offside position. The last five attempts on goal have all fallen to the hosts.

26' STEFFEN CLOSE!

Actually, the Swiss have suddenly woken up and Wolfsburg forward Renato Steffen is played through on goal but only puts his shot at the feet of Leno.

24' TEASING HEADER

That being said, the hosts have carved out a decent chance as right wing-back Widmer pops up in the box to get on the end of a cross from the left. His header is into the ground, though, and bounces up nicely for Leno.

23' TAKING CONTROL

Germany may only be edging the possession (51%) but you feel that goal has allowed them to take control of the ball and ensure Switzerland are kept at arm's length.

17' SOW CLOSE!

Almost a horror moment for Djibril Sow as he smashes a pass back towards Sommer. It's high and one the goalkeeper can't use his hands to stop. A sigh of relief as it flies into the side netting.

14' GÜNDOGAN BENDS IT HOME!

Ginter of all people leaves four Swiss defenders standing as he spins in the box, laying it back to Gündogan on the edge of the box and he bends it low beyond Sommer at his near post. An eighth international goal for the midfielder.

12' LENO OUT QUICKLY

Benito's through ball pierces the Germany defence and runs into the path of Seferovic, but Leno, making his first international appearance in 1064 days, is quickly off his line to smother the ball ahead of the former Frankfurt forward.

7' SANE TWISTS AND TURNS

The new Bayern man creates the first chance of the game as he dribbles into the box and spins his man to come back onto his right foot. His shot lacks a bit of venom, though, and is straight at Sommer, who did well with Werner lurking in front of him.

6' QUICK PLAY

Löw confirmed that his side were tired at the end of the Spain game but they look full of energy at the start of this one. In all fairness, so do Switzerland and it's produced some end-to-end play early on.

KICK-OFF! 

We're underway in this Nations League fixture!

HERE COME THE TEAMS

The players are out in Basel ahead of the national anthems.

CAPTAIN KROOS

Former Bayern and Leverkusen midfielder Toni Kroos captains the team again tonight. The 30-year-old is the brains and also experience of this Germany side, winning his 98th cap. It’s almost double the next best in this squad, Julian Draxler (53). Kroos is also the only player in double figures for goals (17) alongside Timo Werner, who has 12 in 30 appearances, including one against Spain on Thursday.

HOW TIMES CHANGE

St. Jakob-Park in Basel was also the venue the last time these countries faced off in May 2012. Ilkay Gündogan and Julian Draxler both came off the bench and are the only survivors in today’s Germany squad. As for the Swiss, who won 5-3 under former Bayern and Dortmund boss Ottmar Hitzfeld, Granit Xhaka started and Yann Sommer was on the bench.

REMEMBER THE KAISER?

Germany's first-ever match was against southern neighbours Switzerland and they have now met 51 times, which is more than against any other nation, but only four of those have been in a competitive fixture. They all came in FIFA World Cups, with the four-time champions winning two of them, including the most recent all the way back in 1966(!) at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough Stadium. A certain Franz Beckenbauer, who turns 75 on Friday, scored two in that 5-0 victory.

TWO CHANGES

Joachim Löw, who is the longest-serving national team manager in Europe, makes two changes to the team he picked for Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Spain in Stuttgart. One comes in goal, where former Leverkusen man Bernd Leno replaces Kevin Trapp, while Gladbach’s Matthias Ginter comes in for Emre Can of Dortmund in the back three. The 60-year-old sticks with his front three of Julian Draxler, Timo Werner and Leroy Sane.