SWITZERLAND spoiled England's opening day celebrations yesterday when they forced a 1-1 draw against the Euro 96 hosts at Wembley.
A harsh penalty decision, converted by Kubilay Turkyilmaz seven minutes from time, dashed England's hopes of an initial Group A victory.
England, who took the lead with an Alan Shearer goal after 23 minutes, looked set for maximum points until Spanish referee Manuel Diez Vega ruled that Stuart Pearce had deliberately handled a close-range shot from Marco Grassi which smacked against the England defender's upraised arm.
Turkyilmaz, who had troubled England throughout the match, sent goalkeeper David Seaman the wrong way for the equaliser.
That decision against England cancelled out the luck they enjoyed for Shearer's goal as both he and Teddy Sheringham looked offside as a through ball from Paul Ince split the Swiss defence.
Shearer blasted the ball in off goalkeeper Marco Pascolo's near-post to score his first goal for England in 13 matches.
