Football: Switzerland ends 2024 with a defeat

The Swiss team concluded its 2024 year with a seventh consecutive match without a victory. In a meeting which had no stakes, the national team was beaten 3-2 by Spain, with a largely mixed squad. Relegated to League B of this Nations League since Friday, Switzerland therefore left the elite of the competition with its head down.

Of course, in this match played in Tenerife, where La Roja had not returned for twenty-eight years, the selection of Murat Yakin had not placed many expectations on it. Even against a European champion deprived of Yamal or Rodri, the affair was perilous. And Yakin took the opportunity to experiment, even if some were more forced than chosen.

Among the starters against Serbia, only Granit Xhaka, Remo Freuler, Edimilson Fernandes, Eray Cömert and Zeki Amdouni were fielded in a similar role. Ricardo Rodriguez, he was repositioned in the axis. The opportunity for Miro Muheim, Derek Kutesa, Filip Ugrinic or Simon Sohm to show themselves. But there are few who were able to showcase themselves and score real points for next year.

Monteiro’s exploit

Because Switzerland will not leave great memories of this match in the Canaries. With the exception, perhaps, of the one played by Joël Monteiro. The Valaisan from Young Boys, who entered at the break, first missed a golden opportunity by crossing his shot too far (48th). But it was above all he who scored the first Swiss goal after a personal exploit on the hour mark.

Before that, we were also convinced that Yvon Mvogo is a real number two, behind Gregor Kobel, also left on the bench. The Friborg goalkeeper distinguished himself on the restart, notably by repelling a penalty from Pedri. Except that in the continuity of the action, after a first save from Freuler in front of Nico Williams, Yeremi Pino gave Mvogo no chance to open the scoring (32nd).

Mvogo couldn’t do anything either at 2-1, at the end of yet another high Spanish action. And the hesitation between Freuler and Monteiro benefited Bryan Gil, who could turn on the Swiss goalkeeper (68th). Switzerland had the merit of not giving up. And the penalty scored by Andi Zeqiri (his first international goal), obtained by Vincent Sierro, still counted. Still, Sierro would have been well advised not to concede the 3-2 penalty in added time. Bryan Zaragoza transformed it.

Thinking about the World Cup in March

A little frustrating, no doubt, given the outcome. But we must note the more than friendly character of this Spanish trip, where the pace was never particularly high. He doesn’t say much about what’s next, about the World Cup qualifiers which will begin in March for the Swiss team.

But it puts an end to its rather miserable autumn, where this Swiss selection no longer has much of what made its successful Euro. From 2024, we will prefer to remember this suspended moment. But we must not forget what followed.