Shaqiri's hat-trick sends Swiss into the last 16

Honduras 0-3 Switzerland: Stunning Shaqiri hat trick seals last-16 spot

The Bayern Munich man answered a few critics with a brilliant treble in Manaus to hand Ottmar Hitzfeld's side the three points it needed to leapfrog Ecuador.

Jun 25, 2014 5:51:00 PM

Xherdan Shaqiri scored a hat trick as Switzerland sealed a place in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup by beating Honduras 3-0 in Manaus.

He may not be a regular starter at Bayern Munich, but the young winger remains the focal point of a Swiss side that has established itself as an emerging force.

The 22-year-old rose to the occasion when it mattered on Wednesday, his tour de force securing a win that meant Switzerland progressed from Group E behind France, which drew 0-0 with Ecuador to ensure the South American nation crashed out.

With his side smarting from a 5-2 drubbing at the hands of France last Friday, Shaqiri settled any nerves when he scored a sixth-minute thunderbolt before sliding home a second before halftime.

He then capped his impressive display with a third in the 71st minute, setting up a mouth-watering clash with Argentina next Tuesday.

In stark contrast, Honduras suffered the ignominy of being eliminated without a single point to its name.