By Daily Sports on June 12, 2016

Ten-man Albania were denied a historic point on their European Championship debut as Switzerland ran out winners in a hotly contested game in Lens.

Fabian Schar's header proved crucial after goalkeeper Etrit Berisha flapped at Xherdan Shaqiri's corner.

Despite Swiss control of play, Armando Sadiku wasted a great chance to make it 1-1 before Albania captain Lorik Cana received a second yellow for handball.

After poor Swiss finishing, Shkelzen Gashi almost levelled late on.

The substitute was put clean through with three minutes left but Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a crucial save, his second after denying Sadiku in the first half, to leave Albanian fans aghast.

Switzerland's first opening-game win in four attempts at a European Championship puts them second in Group A behind hosts France, who beat Romania 2-1 on Friday.

But it should put them close to reaching the knockout stages for the first time after finishing bottom of their group at tournaments in 1996, 2004 and 2008.

Wales snatched a late winner against Slovakia in their Euro 2016 opener to make a dramatic return to major tournaments after a 58-year absence.

Gareth Bale's dipping free-kick gave Wales a half-time lead and sent their fans into raptures.

Slovakia's Ondrej Duda punished passive Welsh defending to equalise.

But substitute Hal Robson-Kanu's scuffed finish won it for Wales, who top Group B and have an excellent chance of reaching the last 16.

England once again failed to start a major tournament with victory as Vasili Berezutski's stoppage-time header gave Russia a draw they barely deserved in the Stade Velodrome.

Roy Hodgson's side were dominant and fully merited the lead given to them when Eric Dier crashed a 20-yard free-kick high past keeper Igor Akinfeev with 17 minutes left.

Hodgson then removed man of the match Wayne Rooney, who had earlier seen a shot pushed superbly on to the post by Akinfeev, and replaced him with Jack Wilshere to preserve England's advantage.

It was a move that failed when Russia snatched a point - and extended England's record of never starting a European Championship with a win - two minutes into four minutes of stoppage time, Berezutski soaring above Danny Rose at the far post to send Georgi Schennikov's header looping over keeper Joe Hart.

The final whistle was the cue for more of the violence that has marred the build-up to this fixture, as Russian fans appeared to charge at English supporters behind the goal where Berezutski scored.

•Culled from bbc.com.

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 12, 2016

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