4 in the derby against GC

It’s a goal rarely seen on Swiss football pitches. So here’s the well-deserved description of the GC counterattack from the textbook: In just under ten seconds, the Grasshoppers cover the entire field with fine combination football, direct and rapid, in the end striker Guilherme Schettine hits with a precise shot.

The 3-0 for the guests is the decision in the 280th Zurich derby – after a few minutes in the second half. The desolate FCZ is incapable of any serious reaction, and GC refrains from humiliating the rival even more. Substitute Blerim Dzemaili scored the first goal for FCZ after more than 450 minutes with a penalty in the 90th minute, GC reacted immediately with the 4:1. “We would have liked to have kept a clean sheet again,” says GC coach Giorgio Contini. “But this time we managed the lead confidently.”

With the clear victory, the Grasshoppers managed to give an impressive answer to the question that was on your mind before the derby: What does GC actually do? The successful start to the season was noted with some amazement, because the Grasshoppers had not been expected to play in the upper half of the league. Less surprising was a slump recently, for example at home against Sitten (4: 4 after 4: 1) and on Thursday against Servette (2: 3).

A look at the number of spectators at the home games gives cause for disillusionment – there were around 4,500 against FC Sion, just under 3,000 against Servette a few days ago. And you ask yourself again: What is the perspective of GC? There is still a lack of potential for identification, even if the club is quiet and those responsible are working in a focused manner. The Grasshoppers sometimes seem lost somewhere.

GC manages a strong reaction in the derby

A few weeks ago, the new club anthem “Das isch GC” was presented. During a visit to the GC campus in Niederhasli, the head of marketing, Andreas Schmocker, enthusiastically introduced the song. It is a cheerful song, free from the embarrassment that such anthems were already saturated with. The sentence “De Hardturm i dim Chopf” already expressed in the first stanza says a lot about the feelings of the proud record champion. For years he seems trapped in Letzigrund exile.

The Hardturm hasn’t existed for over 15 years. Linked to the legendary stadium is a homeland connection that also – and especially – characterizes a football club in the fast-paced social media age. But you’ve gotten used to the fact that GC is made in China, you don’t necessarily have to think that’s bad, especially since the team is doing quite well – and after turbulent times it has become remarkably quiet around the club.

Which leads to the question whether disinterest isn’t worse than criticism. Just in time, the Grasshoppers set a sporting exclamation point on Sunday in the Letzigrund. They are the better team in the derby, they are more stable, more willing to play, faster. Directed by the persuasive Hayao Kawabe, they have a plan that they pursue without slacking for once. And they’re performing confidently despite weak results in recent weeks.

This may also be due to the fact that the troubled FC Zurich is a grateful construction opponent. If the champions were at least well organized against Winterthur, against YB and at FC Basel in the 0-0 hat-trick, against the Grasshoppers he again lacked everything that distinguished him last season. If you didn’t know better, you could say that a change of coach is imperative for this unsettled team.

The red card against Rohner suits the FCZ performance

This new coach, who at least spread happiness and a spirit of optimism with positive energy in his first days at FCZ, is suspended in the derby. Bo Henriksen received a red card in Basel on Thursday because the Dane complained too much to the fourth referee.

His players miss such commitment on Sunday, they often do their duels at a safe distance. In the 0:1 game, for example, nine players against two GC footballers watch as Schettine hits his head while he is standing – the tenth FCZ field player oversleeps his mission at the corner flag in a short GC corner kick.

And when the FCZ finally proves aggressiveness, Fabian Rohner overdoes it with a hard entry. After the intervention of the video referee, he was sent off shortly after the 0:3. The master’s frustration runs deep; he has been waiting for a win in the Super League for 169 days and 16 matches. Upstairs in a box, Bo Henriksen follows what is happening in the derby in disbelief. Once Antonio Marchesano shoots unchallenged fifteen meters over the goal from fifteen meters.

An unpleasant program awaits FCZ until the World Cup in mid-November: After the Europa League home game against Bodø/Glimt on Thursday, there will be three away games (Sion, Arsenal, Lugano) before they play Servette at home. The Grasshoppers, in turn, have confirmed a sentence from the new club anthem: “GC, the eternal number 1”. For the time being, at least, this applies to the canton of Zurich – with GC, Winterthur and FCZ ranking in the last three places in the Super League before the derby.

Zurich – Grasshoppers 1: 4 (0: 2). 15 4961 spectators. – Referee: beer – Gates: 30 Schettine 0:1. 45. Pushic 0-2. 51 Schettine 0:3. 90. Dzemaili (penalty) 1: 3. 94. Herc 1:4. – Zurich: crusher; Kamberi, Katic, Mets; Rohner, Condé (Omeragic 46), Selnaes (Avdijaj 66), Guerrero; Krasniqi (Dzemaili 66th), Marchesano (Viunnyk 66th); Tosin (84th Okita). – Grasshoppers: Mutton; Bolla, Margreitter, Seko, Schmid; Abrashi (26th Herc), Ndenge; Pusic (68th Shabani), Kawabe, Morandi (78th Momoh); Schettine (78. Dadashov). – Remarks: Zurich without Boranijasevic, Santini (both suspended), Kryeziu, Reichmuth and Sauter (all injured). Grasshoppers without Hoxha, Jeong, Kacuri, Moreira and Nadjack (all injured). Abrashi retired injured. 63. Red card against Rohner (foul). Bookings: 17 Schettine, 23 Condé, 45 Pusic, 63 Selnaes, 66 Herc, 86 Momoh, 89 Schmid.

great league. 13th round: Young Boys – manners 1:1 (0:0). Lucerne – Lugano 3: 1 (0: 0). Basel – Winterthur 3: 1 (2: 0). St Gallen – Servette 1: 1 (1: 0). Zurich – Grasshoppers 1: 4 (0: 2). – Ranking: 1.Young Boys 13/28. 2. Servette 13/23. 3. Customs 13/19. 4. St Gallen 13/18. 5. Basel 12/17. 6. Grasshoppers 13/17. 7. Lucerne 12/16. 8.Lugano 13/16. 9. Winterthur 13/12. 10. Zurich 13/6.