2023-09-09 21:37:07
The Swiss team conceded a draw (2-2) in the final moments of the match once morest Kosovo. In Pristina, Murat Yakin’s men purred for too long in this 5th qualifying match for Euro 2024 to hope to pocket all the points.
Incorrigible Swiss team! As in Lucerne once morest Romania in June, Switzerland let slip the three points of victory in Pristina once morest Kosovo (2-2) in the Euro qualifiers.
Punished by a success from Vedat Muriqi in the 94th minute, Murat Yakin’s team did not take off at the head of their group on an evening when all the planets were aligned. Switzerland, in fact, led twice in Pristina thanks to Remo Freuler, while at the same time Romania and Israel neutralized each other in Bucharest (1-1).
After five of the ten matches in this preliminary round, Switzerland is two points ahead of Romania and three over Israel. Suffice to say that it is not really safe from an industrial accident.
Yet a promising start
Rewarded precisely by Freuler’s success, the first quarter of an hour of the Swiss team must have fully met Murat Yakin’s expectations. Concentrated, diligent and sharp like Edimilson Fernandes, very inspired in the offensive phase before being completely overwhelmed in his defensive work following the break, his players had taken the match from the right end.
However, a certain complacency and the quality of the opposition led Switzerland to lose track of their football as the minutes passed. Fortunately for her, Yann Sommer responded to strikes from Milot Rashica and Vedat Muriqi. In the 39th minute, the refereeing body did not move on a charge by Manuel Akanji on Muriqi in the area which might have been sanctioned.
This first period brought to mind two obvious facts. Switzerland is far superior to all its opponents in this preliminary round. However, it can go through difficult times if the players’ involvement is not total.
Xhaka and Shaqiri on restraint
The Swiss returned to the field without having put their heads right side up. We saw a team which suffered more often and which should not have been surprised that the equalizer fell like a ripe fruit in the 63rd, with Muriqi’s header on a cross from Rashica. A few seconds earlier, Murat Yakin had whistled the end of recess in his own way with the introductions of Dan Ndoye and Cedric Itten for Ruben Vargas and Zeki Amdouni.
At this moment in the match, the coach might have released many other players, starting with Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, unable to fully free themselves during this very special evening for them.
But on his only inspiration of the meeting, Shaqiri found Ricardo Rodriguez behind the defense. The Turinese center was taken over by Freuler who scored twice with the help of Amir Rrahmani. The Kosovar captain deflected the Zurich player out of reach of his goalkeeper for 2-1 in the 79th minute. The mass said was then believed. But that was without counting on this almost inexplicable excitement which gripped the Swiss in the final moments.
ats/bao
Read also: Fabian Schär: “It just wasn’t good enough”
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