Uncertainty, helplessness, frustration: the Swiss national players suffered a real defeat on Friday.Image: fxp-fr-sda-rtp
The Swiss women’s national team loses the second-to-last test match of the year against Germany 6-0. In Zurich’s Letzigrund, the fans once again ensure a record crowd.
When temperatures are hovering around freezing, there might be more pleasant activities than freezing your fingers off in the stands of a football stadium. One might think. At least 17,306 people saw things differently on Friday evening when they made a pilgrimage to the Letzigrund stadium to see the women’s national team’s last appearance of the year.
The stadium once again became the scene of a record crowd in Swiss women’s football – as was the case at the end of October in the 1-1 draw against Australia, when 14,370 spectators set a record that would only last for a month.
The fans saw a game in which the Swiss suffered 6-0, their worst defeat since 7-1 at the end of October 2023 in the Nations League against world champions Spain. The Germans, two-time world and eight-time European champions, were extremely defiant from the start and put the Swiss under pressure. Elvira Herzog, in goal in her first game since being officially named number 1, acted calmly and was there a few times with good positional play and a few saves. Until Sjoeke Nüsken caught them with her header at the near post after a corner just before half-time.
Serious absences
In the second half it became obvious that national coach Pia Sundhage was missing players in this test against her big neighbors with Captain Lia Wälti, head of defense Luana Bühler, Géraldine Reuteler, Naomi Luyet and Ramona Bachmann, who were missing recently and also in the coup against France (2-1 ) were among the pillars, which they should also be at the European Championships in the summer.
But Switzerland lacked the substance to counter this opponent. The DFB team scored four goals between the 50th and 73rd minutes. Substitute Laura Freigang scored twice and Lea Schüller scored her second goal in stoppage time.
It’s a sporting dampener, but it obviously wasn’t able to dampen the euphoria in the stands. In the 70th minute the wave swept through Letzigrund. The anticipation of seeing this team at the European Championships is unbroken.
On Tuesday, Switzerland will play against European champions England in Sheffield. (sda)
This might also interest you:
The Swiss women’s national team loses the second-to-last test match of the year against Germany 6-0. In Zurich’s Letzigrund, the fans once again ensure a record crowd.
Swiss
