20 June 2016
Stephan Lichtsteiner became the tenth Juventus player to reach the last 16 of the European Championships as his Switzerland side played out a 0-0 draw with hosts France, featuring Patrice Evra and Paul Pogba for the full 90 minutes, in Lille last night.
The result guaranteed the French of top spot in Group A and ensured that the Swiss advanced to the knockout stages of the competition for the first time in four attempts.
Having already secured qualification with last week’s 2-0 victory over Albania in Marseille, coach Didier Deschamps made five changes to his team, the most significant of which being the restoration of Pogba to the starting XI, and the Juventus man began the match in thrilling form.
The Bianconeri’s number 10, operating on the left of a three-man midfield, was in unstoppable form and was desperately unlucky to be denied twice by goalkeeper Yann Sommer, the second a superb diving save from a left-footed volley, and once by the crossbar from 25 yards after a bursting through the centre.
Lichtsteiner’s men however regrouped and survived the opening salvo to assert a degree of control over proceedings, enjoying the lion’s share of possession (58 per cent) as the encounter drew on.
That said, the best and only clear-cut chance of the second period would fall to the tournament’s standout player so far Dimitri Payet 15 minutes from time, whose close range volley bounced back off the crossbar following Mohamed Sissoko’s excellent run and cross.
Juve’s 12-man Euro 2016 contingent will return to action on Tuesday as Sami Khedira’s Germany take on Northern Ireland at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
