COLOGNE (REUTERS) - Germany twice had to come from behind to earn a rollercoaster 3-3 draw against visitors Switzerland in an exciting Nations League group game packed with incident on Tuesday (Oct 13).
The result moves Germany within a point of League A Group Four leaders Spain, who lost 1-0 away to Ukraine, while the Swiss, who are still without a win, remain bottom.
The visitors stunned Germany with Mario Gavranovic's fifth minute header and doubled the lead in the 26th when they intercepted a pass from Toni Kroos, in his 100th international, and Remo Freuler beat goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with a cool chip.
Timo Werner hit back for the hosts two minutes later, wrongfooting keeper Yann Sommer with a clever low shot, as the Germans maintained possession and kept pushing forward.
Robin Gosens' effort was tipped over the bar by Sommer late in the first half but the keeper was beaten when Kai Havertz charged into the box and fired home the equaliser in the 55th.
Germany coach Joachim Loew reverted to a four-man defence for the game but it kept leaking goals as the Swiss went back in front in the 57th after Neuer made consecutive saves from Haris Seferovic before Gavranovic pounced to drill in on the rebound.
A sensational Serge Gnabry back heel flick on the hour pulled the home side level once more and the Swiss then finished the match with 10 men following the stoppage-time dismissal of defender Fabian Schaer for a second booking.
Meanwhile, Ukraine pulled off a shock 1-0 win at home to Spain in the Uefa Nations League on Tuesday at a raucous Olympic Stadium in Kyiv as fans savoured a first ever victory over the 2010 World Cup winners.
Andriy Shevchenko's side took the lead against the run of play in the 76th minute when Viktor Tsygankov took David de Gea by surprise by firing home from outside the area, after latching on to an outstanding reverse pass from Andriy Yarmolenko.
The goal was wildly celebrated by the whole Ukraine team and some 21,000 fans spaced out across the stadium, with the hosts taking advantage of Uefa regulations allowing 30% capacity at certain matches in an easing of coronavirus restrictions.
Ukraine had lost their last three outings, including a 4-0 reverse to Spain last month and a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of France in a friendly last week, after losing six players due to Covid-19 positives.
