The Swiss national team got off to a successful start at the World Cup in Finland. After a lightning start, Patrick Fischer’s team won against Italy, befitting their status.
Scores two goals against Italy: World Cup newcomer Calvin Thürkauf (right).
(sda) The Swiss got off to a great start. After just 49 seconds and two chances, the Swiss were already leading 1-0. Denis Malgin opened the score. After the first period it was 3-0 for Switzerland. Calvin Thürkauf and Andres Ambühl, who was tackling his 17th World Championship (world record), scored 2-0 and 3-0. Calvin Thürkauf, one of three World Cup debutants, later even scored a second goal (4:0). And Jonas Siegenthaler, who contributed only one assist at his last World Cup, prepared the first three Swiss goals.
The Swiss lightning start with 17:3 shots on goal and a straight game in the first section meant that the Swiss were later able to slow down. Although they tried to score more goals, the next game – on Sunday evening against Denmark – crept into the back of their minds. In the final section, the concentration of the Swiss dropped noticeably. After all, 100 seconds before the end, Captain Nico Hischier (goal scorer) and Timo Meier (assist), two key Swiss figures on the offensive, scored a first scorer point.
Either way, the 5-2 win against Italy in the opening game is an excellent result. In the past, starting games at world championships were no picnic for the ice lovers. In 2019 in Bratislava there was even a 9-0 win against Italy, but in previous years victories after penalty shootouts or extra time against Austria (2018) and Slovenia (2017) had been achieved – or there were even defeats against Austria (2016) or Kazakhstan ( 2015) onwards.
On the other hand, starting games must not be overrated. In 2019, after beating the Italians 9-0, the Swiss failed to qualify for the quarter-finals. And in 2018, after the lucky 3-2 win over Austria after extra time, the Swiss marched through to the final.
The only annoying thing from a Swiss point of view was that Reto Berra, who was in front of the Swiss goal in the first World Cup game, was spoiled in the final section of the shutout. Daniel Glira scored the consolation goal for the Italians in the 49th minute, and the Italians later scored a second goal. Apart from the goals conceded, Berra only had to parry twelve shots. Italy have scored more than one goal against Switzerland for the first time since the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, when the two teams drew 3-3.
Switzerland 5-2 Italy (3-0, 1-0, 1-2). Helsinki. 3641 spectators. – arbitratorsr: Hansen/Stano (NOR/SVK), Seewald/Spur (AUT/CZE). – Gates: 1. (0:49) Malgin (Simion, Siegenthaler) 1-0. 18. Thürkauf (Corvi, Siegenthaler) 2-0. 20. Ambühl (Siegenthaler, Scherwey) 3-0. 27. Thürkauf (Kuraschew, Scherwey) 4:0. 49. Glira (Hannoun, McNally) 4-1. 59. Hischier (Meier, Bertschy) 5: 1. 59. Hannoun (Simon Kostner, Petan/Malgin excluded) 5:2. – Punish: 2 times 2 minutes each.