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The Swiss national team’s World Cup opening game in Qatar was a tour de force. 4 insights after the 1-0 win over Cameroon.
1. All beginnings are difficult
No, football connoisseurs didn’t get their money’s worth when Switzerland played Cameroon. Rather, it was hard to digest what the two teams offered the fans. The Nati sometimes acted statically, there was a lack of liveliness and playfulness. But all that fades into the background after Breel Embolo scored the decisive goal. “1 game, 3 points” is the main message after this game. In the last two major tournaments, Switzerland started with a draw. The initial tension should be gone now, which gives hope for the game against Brazil. Because it is well known: against big teams, the national team often presents itself from its best side.
2. Disappointing mood
“It’s not World Cup worthy,” SRF expert Beni Huggel summed up the situation at Al-Janoub Stadium. There were gaps in the rows of seats in the 40,000 spectator capacity, very chic “Muschel Arena”, which became larger and larger as the game went on. A bad habit that can be observed more and more at this World Cup.
The atmosphere also left a lot to be desired. Lots of monotonous drumming, hardly any chanting. Arab fans in national team jerseys mingled with the approximately 1,500 Swiss supporters who had traveled there. Why do you support Switzerland of all places? “Because Shaqiri is our favorite player,” explain three young men from Bangladesh with some delay. Whether these are much-discussed “bought” fans? “There isn’t,” Fifa denied. doubts remain.
3. New role for Xhaka
“The Nati is only as good as Granit Xhaka”. This statement has been mostly correct in the recent past. If the Swiss captain doesn’t have a good day – like against Cameroon – the whole team suffers. In the national team, Xhaka concentrates primarily on the areas in front of the defense, in the World Cup opening game Yakin gave him a much more offensive role for once. Xhaka has proven week after week at Arsenal that he can dress this up.
In Doha it didn’t want to work out yet. Also because the teammates will probably have to get used to the adapted walking paths of the “new Xhaka”. The strategist had just 47 touches, a disappointing number for him. After the final whistle, Xhaka quickly disappeared into the catacombs. This is probably not how he imagined his first World Cup appearance in Qatar.
4. Defense worries inevitable?
Yakin had a surprise in store for his World Cup squad: Only two trained full-backs traveled to Doha. No wonder, the alarm bells start ringing when problems arise in this position. All the more so when Renato Steffen, a back-up due to neck problems, is not even in the squad. It is to be hoped that the substitution of Ricardo Rodriguez in the closing stages of the game was a precautionary measure. The Torino mercenary showed signs of cramping on the pitch. With Nico Elvedi and Manuel Akanji, the two Inn defenders are already yellow after the first game. Not an ideal starting position for the further course of the tournament.