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Late loss to Swiss compounds Estonia's woe

Estonia 0-1 Switzerland
Results elsewhere confirmed that Magnus Pehrsson's side would miss out on the play-offs but Ragnar Klavan's late own goal salted the wound.

Highlights: Estonia 0-1 Switzerland
  • Estonia miss out on a place in the UEFA EURO 2016 play-offs after Slovenia's victory in San Marino
  • Switzerland come second in Group E with seven wins and three losses, nine points behind England
  • Tonight's results mean Estonia are still to appear at a UEFA European Championship finals
  • Ragnar Klavan scores an own goal in the 94th minute
  • Xherdan Shaqiri is substituted at the break as Vladimir Petković plans for France next summer

Estonia's dream of an unlikely late surge into the UEFA EURO 2016 play-offs failed to materialise, their fate of a fourth-placed finish already confirmed before Ragnar Klavan's 94th-minute own goal consigned them to defeat by Switzerland at the A. Le Coq Arena.

Ultimately, tonight's concurrent 2-0 win for Slovenia away to San Marino deemed the result in Tallinn meaningless as Magnus Pehrsson's side missed out on third position in Group E – and the possibility of a first appearance at the continental finals – by six points.

The hosts had been relying on an unlikely turn of events, including a loss for Slovenia and a nine-goal swing in their favour, but they made a frenzied start nonetheless.

Konstantin Vassiljev led by example in the early exchanges, forcing Swiss goalkeeper Marwin Hitz to push his long-range drive behind inside three minutes. The midfielder's resulting corner then fizzed agonisingly across goal, via Eren Derdiyok's mistimed clearance.

Fabian Schär, Granit Xhaka and Haris Seferovic had scored as Switzerland won the reverse fixture 3-0 in Lucerne in March, but this promised to be a more competitive affair judging by the Baltic team's first-half endeavour.

They had another opportunity to break the deadlock in the 19th minute when Karol Mets crossed for Ken Kallaste in front of goal, but the defender could not direct his header on target.

Four minutes after the restart, Breel Embolo, who had just replaced Xherdan Shaqiri, found Admir Mehmedi in space. However the Bayer Leverkusen man, marauding into space behind the defence, was unable to beat Mihkel Aksalu in the Estonian goal.

Coupled with Ats Purje's late miss from one metre out in the 90th minute, defender Klavan's subsequent bundled own goal deep into stoppage time from Embolo's smart cutback, summed up Estonia's night.

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