Derdiyok rocks short-staffed Germany

Eren Derdiyok scored three goals in Basel as Switzerland secured an unliklely 5-3 friendly win against UEFA EURO 2012 contenders Germany, who were without their FC Bayern München contingent.

Derdiyok, who will join TSG 1899 Hoffenheim from Bayer 04 Leverkusen this summer, was on target twice in the first half, completing his hat-trick early in the second period after Mats Hummels had pulled one back for Germany. Andre Schürrle drew Germany back to 3-2, Stephan Lichtsteiner restored Switzerland's two-goal lead, Marco Reus responded again, but Admir Mehmedi completed the scoring as the Nationalmannschaft conceded five for the first time since a 5-1 friendly loss to Romania in 2004.

It had looked fairly even until Tranquillo Barnetta's ball from the left picked out Derdiyok for his first (21), and the 23-year-old nodded another cross from his Leverkusen team-mate home just two minutes later. With the national team players from losing UEFA Champions League finalists Bayern being given extra time to recover from their long season, Mario Götze set up his Borussia Dortmund cohort Mats Hummels to power another header home to rally Germany just before the break, but Joachim Löw's side slipped up again on 49 minutes, Derdiyok getting his head to another Barnetta delivery, this time from a free-kick.

Schürrle's firm shot from outside the area (64) kept Germany afloat, but within three minutes Switzerland made it 4-2, Lichtsteiner heading in from Gökhan Inler's ball. Diego Benaglio in the Swiss goal denied Germany as substitute Julian Draxler got a sight of goal, but fellow replacement Reus was on hand to mop up (72). The home side had the final say, though, with Mehmedi putting the final touch to a smart free-kick routine on 77 minutes as Switzerland overcame their neighbours from the 'Big Canton' for the first time since 1956. Switzerland beat Germany 5-3 in the nations' very first meeting, also in Basel, in 1908.

Germany will look for a little less drama as they take on Israel on 31 May in their final friendly game before their UEFA EURO 2012 Group B campaign kicks off against Portugal in Lviv on 9 June.