Euro 2016: Group Results, Standings, Tables and Updated Schedule After Saturday
Switzerland held on to beat 10-man Albania 1-0 in their opening match of UEFA Euro 2016 at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Lens, France.
Fabian Schar scored the only goal of the match from a corner inside the opening five minutes, heading past Etrit Berisha.
Albania's task was made all the more difficult with 10 minutes to play until half-time as captain Lorik Cana was shown his second yellow card of the game for a foolish handball on the edge of the area.
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Despite dominating the second period with one player fewer, Albania were unable to take their many chances to earn an equaliser as Switzerland held on for all three points.
Elsewhere on the day, Wales beat Slovakia 2-1 in Bordeaux after a late goal from Hal Robson-Kanu.
Gareth Bale had put Wales ahead early on through a free-kick, but their opponents pulled a goal back on the hour mark.
England looked on course to secure victory in their group game with Russia following Eric Dier's magnificent free-kick, but the Three Lions were denied after a 92nd minute equaliser.
Read on to find out how those results affect the group tables, Saturday's results and a review of the action.
| France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| Switzerland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| Albania | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Romania | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Wales | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| Russia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Slovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Albania | 0-1 | Switzerland |
| Wales | 2-1 | Slovakia |
| England | 1-1 | Wales |
For the full, upcoming schedule, visit the tournament's official site.
Switzerland hold on for victory
Following France's last-gasp victory over Romania in the competition opener on Friday, Albania and Switzerland were next in line to demonstrate what they will bring to this year's tournament.
With just five minutes played, Schar scored with a header from Xherdan Shaqiri's corner.
The defender took up a central position and beat flailing Albania goalkeeper Berisha to head into an empty net, with the opposition failing to meet the whipped cross.
After a lengthy period of possession, Albania went close to levelling the tie, but Armando Sadiku was unable to get the better of Yann Sommer from close range. From the right channel, Elseid Hysaj delivered a perfectly weighted ball towards Sadiku, but the Vaduz striker shot straight at the feet of the stopper.
Per UEFA.com, Albania scored just 11 goals in their eight qualifying matches in the buildup to the tournament and appeared nervous in front of goal.
With 35 minutes played, Giovanni De Biasi's side were reduced to 10 men following a second yellow card for captain Lorik Cana. After picking up a booking earlier on in the contest for a wild tackle on Blerim Dzemaili, the referee gave the skipper his marching orders after an obvious handball on the edge of the box.
Genoa midfielder Dzemaili agonisingly struck the woodwork with the resulting free-kick, as he bent a magnificent strike around the wall.
Following the interval, Albania returned to the field with a more conservative approach after acknowledging their man deficit.
However, they were the first to put an effort on goal in the second period, as Sadiku was again denied. Johan Djourou failed to sufficiently clear danger, slicing the ball towards Sadiku, but Sommer was on hand to mop up the danger.
Switzerland had a huge opportunity to seal a vital three points after 67 minutes, but Berisha was alert to block Haris Seferovic. Breel Embolo put Seferovic through on goal, and the Eintracht Frankfurt forward raced away from the Albanian back four but saw his shot well kept out.
Sadiku had Albanian fans on their feet with 15 minutes remaining in the contest, but the supporters' celebrations from the opposing end of the ground were put on ice after realising the attacker had struck the outside of the side netting.
After Amir Abrashi slipped the striker through on goal, Sadiku took a touch to settle himself before striking toward the near post, with the far corner possibly a better option.
With two minutes remaining in Lens, substitute Shkelzen Gashi was handed the freedom of Stade Bollaert-Delelis after being found unmarked with the ball at his feet inside the box. The left-footed attacker attempted to bend his shot into the top corner, but Sommer once again saved his team with a vital save.
Bale inspires Dragons
Slovakia playmaker Marek Hamsik was inches away from putting his country ahead inside four minutes at Stade Matmut-Atlantique in Bordeaux.
The Napoli attacker embarked upon a devastating dribble through the heart of the Wales defence, rounding the grounded goalkeeper Daniel Ward before striking low at goal. However, Ben Davies was on hand on the goal line to somehow clear the danger.
The Slovaks were made to pay for not recording the first goal of the game soon after, when Real Madrid attacker Bale stepped up to take a free-kick. The former Tottenham Hotspur winger scored seven of his country's 11 goals during Euro 2016 qualification, establishing himself as the team's leader.
Bale's well-struck set piece wrong-footed Slovakia goalkeeper Matus Kozacik—who should have done much better to keep out the shot—to put Wales 1-0 ahead on 10 minutes.
That opening strike appeared to settle the Welsh players' nerves, and they began to enjoy long periods of possession. Neil Taylor was fortunate to escape without punishment for a late tackle on Hamsik, before the referee showed a yellow card to Patrik Hrosovsky as he struggled to keep a lid on a match primed to boil over.
Following the interval, Bale went close to doubling Wales' advantage with a header from eight yards out that Kozacik did well to keep out, but Chris Coleman's side were punished for their stuttering profligacy soon after.
Vladimir Weiss produced a sublime dribble down the right flank before cutting the ball back to substitute Ondrej Duda inside the area. The Legia Warsaw attacker expertly allowed the ball to run across him before finding the bottom corner with a reverse shot across Ward.
Arsenal playmaker Aaron Ramsey should have done much better with his header on goal after a fine run and cross from substitute Robson-Kanu, but the former Cardiff City midfielder could only aim his effort over the crossbar with 15 minutes to play.
However, with 81 minutes on the clock, Wales grabbed their second goal of the afternoon through Robson-Kanu.
Ramsey turned provider this time, as he attempted to find space in the box, the free agent pounced on the loose ball to scuff a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
With five minutes to play, Slovakia almost snatched an equaliser as Adam Nemec crashed a header against the right-hand upright, but Wales held on to secure victory.
England stunned by late equaliser
Adam Lallana had one of the first efforts on goal in the day's final match, but the Liverpool midfielder could only sting the palms of Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev before dragging another shot from inside the area wide of goal later on.
With half an hour played, captain Wayne Rooney struck a powerful shot straight at Akinfeev after teeing himself up elegantly on the edge of the box.
The Three Lions were enjoying superior ball possession in Russia's half of the field and offered more intent in the attacking third but found no joy inside the opposition area.
Russia central defenders Sergei Ignashevich and Vasili Berezutski continued to play stray passes and force further pressure, but England's final ball was failing to find the feet of Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane.
Neither manager felt it necessary to make a change to their personnel during the interval, and it was Russia who settled the quicker of the two teams in the second period.
Leonid Slutsky's side continued their resilient approach, denying England a flow of possession at their end of the field. However, that changed on 70 minutes when Rooney brought a critical save out of Akinfeev.
The CSKA Moscow goalkeeper got down well to turn the Manchester United midfielder's curling strike onto the crossbar, and Lallana's rebound struck the post before being ruled offside.
With 15 minutes to play in Marseille, England broke the deadlock with a magnificent free-kick. Tottenham's defensive midfielder Dier took over set piece duties in place of Rooney and Kane to rifle a powerful shot past the helpless Russian No. 1.
With the onus on the Russians to come forward and press Roy Hodgson's side, little retort appeared with legs tiring on both sides of the field.
With the final whistle and three points in sight for England, Russia captain Berezutski climbed highest inside the area to loop a header into the far corner in the second minute of injury time to make it 1-1 on the night.
Russia contributed very little, particularly in the second half, but take a share of the points and a huge confident boost with their heroics moments before the final whistle.
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