Seferovic hat-trick crowns incredible comeback
A Haris Seferovic-inspired Switzerland sensationally recovered from an early two-goal deficit to crush Belgium 5-2 and surge into the Nations League Finals in Lucerne on Monday (AEDT).
Roberto Martinez's men needed only a point to sew up top spot in Group 2 of League A and seemed right on course as Thorgan Hazard struck twice in the opening 17 minutes.
That left Switzerland – beaten 2-1 in the reverse encounter – needing an improbable four unanswered goals to advance, a mountainous task they had remarkably almost completed before half-time through Ricardo Rodriguez's penalty and a 13-minute Seferovic brace.
Such a stunning response set the scene for Nico Elvedi to head Vladimir Petkovic's side in front on the head-to-head aggregate score after the interval and top spot was fittingly confirmed late on by hat-trick hero Seferovic.
Belgium's mission appeared straightforward as the younger Hazard lit the fuse in the second minute.
The 25-year-old pounced on Elvedi's poor back-pass to open the scoring and doubled his tally with an unerring drive into the bottom-left corner.
Switzerland's first real incursion into the box from an Edimilson Fernandes cross enticed Nacer Chadli into a panicked trip on Kevin Mbabu and they used the lifeline to storm into the ascendancy.
Rodriguez beat Thibaut Courtois from the spot before Xherdan Shaqiri's cushioned header freed Seferovic to tuck in the equaliser five minutes later.
And the incredible turnaround continued a minute before the break, Benfica striker Seferovic guiding beyond Courtois from Fernandes' cutback.
One more goal was required to secure an away-goals advantage and it was left to the unlikely Elvedi to seal the unthinkable by nodding in Shaqiri's 62nd-minute cross, star man Seferovic later adding polish to a gleaming Switzerland performance with a header of his own.