After 4 matches without a victory and 10 goals conceded, Switzerland has no choice on Friday: it must beat Serbia in Zurich (8:45 p.m., live on RTS 2) to maintain the hope of still appearing among the 16 best teams in the League of Nations.
A success by 3 goals will even be imperative if Murat Yakin and his players do not want to be faced with a sort of mission impossible on Monday in Tenerife. Beaten 2-0 by Serbia last month in Leskovac, Switzerland risks finding itself obliged to beat Spain to avoid direct relegation in the event of a narrow success on Friday. “We still have our fate in our hands. We demonstrated 2 years ago that we were capable of winning in Spain”says Murat Yakin who of course remembers the 2-1 victory in Zaragoza on September 24, 2022. It had contributed to Switzerland remaining in League A after, like this year, its three defeats in its first 3 matches.
Seventeen years without a victory
But before thinking about this challenge against the European champion, Switzerland must deliver the goods to Zurich in a stadium where it has not known victory for… 17 years, where it has also gone through the worst moments of its history, like this 2-1 defeat against Luxembourg in 2008. “We have to play this match with great intensity. Also put a lot of verticality in our game”, underlines Murat Yakin. The coach will ask his players to play in the same vein as during the 1-1 against Denmark on October 15 in St. Gallen. “If Zeki Amdouni’s goal had not been disallowed by the referee, we would still have a chance to fight for 2nd place in the groupe, remarque Murat Yakin. We were shortchanged not only in St. Gallen against Denmark, but also in our first two matches in Copenhagen and in Geneva against Spain. We must not forget that.”
This speech by Calimero is admissible. But it will no longer hold if Switzerland gets tripped up on Friday evening. Facing Serbia in an atmosphere that we hope is peaceful, the Swiss team will still have a lot to make up for. Like not having been able to ride the tremendous momentum of the Euro this fall. Like not having exploited an undivided domination in Leskovac during the 1st half against apathetic Serbs. At Letzigrund, the Swiss will this time have to provoke more one-on-one action to add some madness to their game. It’s up to Breel Embolo, Zeki Admouni and also Noah Okafor, who will have playing time on Friday according to Murat Yakin, to play.
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Swiss
