Football: Servette Chênois cracks at the end of the match

Bad operation for Servette Chênois. In the first leg of the play-offs for the Champions League, even though they held their own against the Italian champions, the Grenat lost 3-1 in Rome. With two goals behind, they will need a feat in the return leg to qualify for the group stage of the C1. The Swiss champions lost everything in the last ten minutes.

Jose Barcala had announced it, his team wanted possession of the ball. The SFCCF therefore tried to remain faithful to its principles and impose its game. But, in fact, it was the Romans who proved to be the most dangerous. A first counter and a shot from Manuela Giugliano (7th), a hot situation in the Geneva area after a bad clearance (11th), a header from Saki Kumagai after a corner (13th) set the tone. And cold sweats at Tinja-Riikka Korpela.

Things got even more complicated for the visitors after Maéva Clémaron, the architect of the Grenat game, went off injured after a bad shot from Giada Greggi (23rd). Although Kumagai’s header from another set piece went just wide (28th), we could feel that the more the minutes passed, the more the Italian champions were calm. This was reflected on the scoreboard.

End of series

At kick-off, SFCCF had gone 585 minutes without conceding a goal. This run ended in the 38th minute, when Elena Linari took advantage of a clearance from Korpela to open the scoring. following a corner. The Finnish goalkeeper, who arrived from Rome this summer, once again saved her teammates from the worst by making two great saves against shots from Valentina Giacinti (42nd) and Giugliano (44th). Two crucial saves.

Trailing 1-0 at the break, the Swiss champions could still legitimately hope to bring back a positive result at the end of the lake. Faced with a Roman team that was too cautious, they took control of the debate and their efforts were rewarded: on a golden service from Therese Simonsson, who had just come back, Cassandra Korhonen restored parity by equalizing with a superb lob (55th).

Despite the end of the match being in favour of the local players, the Geneva defence, where the young Amina Muratovic (18 years old) had started, held up well. Thanks to her solidarity, but also to a save from Korpela on a point-blank volley from Alice Corelli (79th). Until a bad clearance, which allowed Evelyne Viens to give her team the lead (85th). Then this corner in the 93rd, pushed into the back of the head by the Roman striker, author of a double. Cruel.

In eight days, the Servettiennes will host AS Roma at the Stade de Genève (7 p.m.). “We will need to have people supporting us to achieve the feat,” warns Manon Revelli. One thing is certain, the SFCCF will still be able to look the Italian champions straight in the eye.

Florian Paccaudholder of a Master’s degree in sports science with a focus on social sciences, has been a journalist for Sport-Center since January 2021. A graduate of the CFJM, he also works as an agency manager, print editor and web pilot.More info

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