As might have been feared, Switzerland ended its year with a fourth defeat. In Tenerife, they lost 3-2 to Spain, undoubtedly the best team in the world at the moment.
Fate is cruel for the training of Murat Yakin. She, in fact, came back to score twice thanks to a success from Joël Monteiro and a penalty from Andi Zeqiri before being crucified in added time. Vincent Sierro, in fact, committed the irreparable in front of Bryan Zaragoza for the third penalty of the evening which the same Zaragoza transformed.
No, Switzerland did not deserve to experience such an outcome. She had the immense merit of returning to the match after a first half spent defending thanks to the thunderous entry of Joël Monteiro.
The Valaisan was the perfect symbol of this ‘new look’ Swiss team which was able to exist in this meeting despite the far too neutral performance of its playing master Granit Xhaka. For his 135th selection, the captain did nothing but endure, as if he were captivated by the mastery of Pedri, the artist from La Roja. His replacement in the 65th minute by Sierro was a ‘daring’ measure, perhaps, but one marked by implacable logic.
Mvogo’s useless exploit
With four starting players for the first time including the neophyte Miro Muheim and with Yvon Mvogo in the cage for Gregor Kobel, Murat Yakin built a starting eleven which confirmed his desire to ‘see new things’. Facing a Spain supported by a festive public, Switzerland played almost the entire first half in its last thirty meters only to give in once.
Shortly after the half hour, Eray Cömert and Ricardo Rodriguez, who was lined up for the first time in the center of a four-man defense, ‘invented’ a penalty for misjudging a through ball to captain Alvaro Morata. A penalty taken by Pedri but deflected by Mvogo who was however beaten by Yérémy Pino in the action that followed.
Lack of impact
The Friborg goalkeeper, who remained on two clean sheets in the selection this year, undoubtedly did not deserve to concede such a goal, a handful of seconds after having signed an authentic feat. Powerless at 2-1, he delivered a stellar performance.
On the offensive side, Switzerland suffered primarily from the lack of impact of Filip Ugrinic and Dereck Kutesa. Players from Young Boys and Servette FC were able to measure the gulf between the Super League and the international level. The nice surprise of this first half came from Simon Sohm. Placed in direct support of Zeki Amdouni, the Zurich native demonstrated why he won in Parma in this 9.5 role.
Le show Monteiro
At the break, Murat Yakin launched Andi Zeqiri for Amdouni and Joël Monteiro for Ugrinic. In the 49th minute, Joël Monteiro could have put his team back on par with La Roja. He imposed his physical power to go alone in front of Robert Sanchez without being able to target his shot. With this single action, the Valaisan made his coach understand that he too would have deserved a first start.
A quarter of an hour later, he did it again on his right flank to score the 1-1. In Tenerife in a match that seemed a match for nothing, Switzerland discovered that they now had another winger than Dan Ndoye who can dance on the opponent. Unfortunately, his performance was to be tarnished by his apathy on Bryan Gil’s 2-1 in the 68th. Edimilson Fernandes and Remo Freuler also shoulder their share of responsibility for the success of the Girona half.
A decisive save from Mvogo to avoid the 3-1 and a duel in the area caused by Sierro against Fabian Ruiz allowed Switzerland to come back to the score a second time. She believed she had the result which would have concluded this failed League of Nations campaign with a certain panache. But that was without counting Sierro’s fatal gesture in the 92nd minute.
/ATS
