FC Thun: Chelsea-London junior Declan Frith plays big

Two games, four goals –

An ex-Chelsea junior is currently playing really well at FC Thun

The Oberland team won 6-1 at Stade Nyonnais – also thanks to striker Declan Frith, in whom Super League clubs are likely to be interested soon.

Published today at 10:47 p.m

In focus: Declan Frith scores two dream goals in French-speaking Switzerland.

Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott (Keystone)

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BotTalk

Sometimes games are exciting before they even start. In the run-up to FC Thun’s away game in Nyon, those people who deal intensively with the club asked themselves whether Captain Marco Bürki would return to the starting line-up after his yellow card suspension.

Parts of the supporters are rather critical of the central defender’s performance, and when the Genis Montolio/Jan Bamert duo last impressed against Schaffhausen when the Münsinger was missing, they felt vindicated. Several fans said on the club’s social media channels that coach Mauro Lustrinelli should now stick to the two and leave Bürki out.

The captain is just a replacement

It is extremely unlikely that the coach and his staff were influenced by this. They initially put their captain on the bench. Bamert, who played left-footed in the team against the north-eastern Swiss team, scored one goal and prepared another – these were not bad arguments for being called up again.

Montolio and Bamert largely had things under control in the first half on Friday evening, even if goalkeeper Nino Ziswiler was called upon twice in the starting phase alone. There was a lot going on at Lake Geneva at the beginning, and the Bernese Oberlanders took the lead in the second minute – thanks to the once again outstanding Declan Frith, who wonderfully flicked the ball into the far corner from a half-right position with his left.

Early celebration of the match winner: The 22-year-old celebrates his goal in the 2nd minute.
Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott (Keystone)

Lustrinelli’s team could score more goals in the first 20 minutes – but also concede some. Stade Nyonnais, last year’s promoted team, which is now at the bottom of the table, plays quite well at times, but cannot hide its problems in the defensive area.

The hosts controlled the action at times in the middle of the first half, and they attacked again promisingly after around half an hour. Thun is able to clear, Valmir Matoshi plays the ball forward – and Frith runs away from the French-speaking Swiss central defense and makes it 2-0.

Frith is unstoppable – at 2-0 and generally these days.

Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott (Keystone)

The 22-year-old Englishman joined in the summer; Before that he was under contract with FC Valencia and played there in the second team. In Nyon, the striker is the dominant figure, and not just because of his two goals.

Now the top fight follows

Two goals against Schaffhausen, two goals in Nyon: Frith, the former Chelsea junior, is in top form. And Thun employs an attacker in whom Super League clubs will soon be interested.

After the Thun team made it 2-0, contrary to the course of the game, the home team’s resistance noticeably diminished. The third goal comes before the break, Matoshi scores it after a corner.

Captain Bürki is still allowed to play after the break, he replaces Montolio, who is now injured.

Thun won 6:1 (!); After an own goal from French-speaking Switzerland, Marc Gutbub, who came on for Frith, scored two goals. After difficult weeks, Lustrinelli’s team has obviously picked itself up, celebrating its second win in a row – and will host leader Etoile Carouge next Saturday.