Published10 June 2022, 00:11
The coach looks back on the 1-0 defeat at the Stade de Genève, once morest Spain, in the League of Nations.
- par
- Daniel Visentini
(Geneva)
Murat Yakin liked the second half reaction. But it still lacks efficiency.
BASTIEN GALLAY/LPS
Beaten 1-0 by Spain at the Stade de Genève, despite the support of the public, Switzerland therefore recorded a third defeat in a row in the League of Nations. With that conceded in March at Wembley once morest England, that makes four pitfalls in 2022, for a single non-negative result, this 1-1 in Zurich once morest the modest Kosovo. Even if Switzerland showed some form of reaction following the break, there is a worrying lack of results there.
But Murat Yakin remained positive. “We had a plan and we stuck to it,” he explained following the match. We wanted to control Spain first. And that’s what we’ve done. We left only a few spaces for our opponents. Unfortunately, there is an error in the restart. From Cömert. I would never blame a player for trying to play, pass, rather than clear in the stands, even though that would have been smarter at the time. But there you go, there was that goal. After we organized ourselves better to take Busquets higher, around the 20th minute, Xhaka took care of it.
A proactive Switzerland, following
The problem, in this desire to control without projecting too much, is that Switzerland might not get the ball out. “Yes, on this plan, there are certainly criticisms to be made, we might not find the projections in front.” What followed was a second period which finally saw Switzerland show something else, be more proactive, as they have been able to be in the past. “We were more courageous, we were able to show things, to try, but luck was not with us.”
Question: why didn’t you dare more from the start? “But we had a plan, assures Yakin. First control, then go out, and show us more following the break. Were it not for the personal error that cost us the losing goal, we stuck to that plan and deserved to score a goal following the break.
Arbitration?
Or before, with this possible penalty ignored (for lack of hand from Pau Torres)? “I don’t know, let’s say yes, that several things should be explained to me, even if that should not be an excuse. I think we shouldn’t have lost. But that we have to work on the basis of what we saw following the break.
After the break: when Switzerland forgot all their detentions, to finally play as they knew how to do until recently. What to give ideas to Yakin to try more from the start, Sunday in Geneva always, once morest Portugal? “I don’t want us to be as naive as in Lisbon, slice Yakin, attacking anyhow. You have to be careful.” Chase the natural…
