Switzerland seal Euro 2016 place with thrashing of San Marino

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:11 am

Switzerland booked their place at Euro 2016 with a 7-0 Group G victory over San Marino.

The hosts scored six second-half goals -- three from the penalty spot -- and the celebrations started when news of Slovenia's draw with Lithuania filtered through to St Gallen.

Michael Lang's first-half goal was added to by penalties from Gokhan Inler, Johan Djourou and Breel Embolo and efforts from Admir Mehmedi, Pajtim Kasami and Eren Derdiyok.

Lang broke the deadlock after 17 minutes, when Ricardo Rodriguez's corner was flicked on by Embolo to the far post where Lang steered home.

That was the only moment the home fans had to cheer in the first half as San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini denied Inler, Kasami and Djourou.

Switzerland celebrate reaching Euro 2016.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

But the floodgates opened 10 minutes into the second half as Davide Cesarini's handball led to Leicester midfielder Inler sending Simoncini the wrong way from the spot.

Admir Mehmedi made it three 10 minutes later, tapping into an open net after Simoncini had palmed Fabian Schar's long-range effort back into the danger area.

Former Arsenal defender Djourou coolly slotted home from the spot after Alessandro Della Valle had fouled Luca Zuffi with 19 minutes left.

Kasami then fired into the far right corner in the 75th minute after being teed up on the edge of the area by Francois Moubandje.

Switzerland's third penalty -- again conceded by Della Valle, this time for a foul on Derdiyok -- was stroked in by Embolo, and Derdiyok rounded things off with a minute remaining when he headed in Renato Steffen's cross.