Our goal difference is six goals worse than that of the leader, favorite and European champion Italy. A victory in Lithuania, and we draw level with the Azzurri in terms of points! If we won with a one-goal difference, we would still have a five-goal difference. There is only one game left to make up for this: the last one, on November 15th against Bulgaria in Lucerne. Italy, for its part, then has to compete in the atmospheric Windsor Park in Belfast. The definitely more difficult final bouquet.
To make up for a five-goal handicap in one game would be a very difficult undertaking. So the mission to “improve goal difference” must begin now, in Vilnius, in the Bonsai LFF stadium, on the artificial turf of the penultimate generation. 150 Swiss fans will cheer for the national team here. Even if the Lithuanians recently won against Bulgaria in the same place: Anyone who brings as much power to the field as Switzerland against Northern Ireland can win with three or four goals difference.
Like against Iceland in 2018?
The national team, which have not conceded a goal in the last three games, last managed that in June before the European Championship: 7-0 against Liechtenstein. Okay, that was a test. And a serious fight? Not long ago either: 6: 1 and 4: 0 against dwarf Gibraltar in the European Championship qualification 2019. And a runaway victory against a non-dwarf? Even for this you don’t have to go back to the black and white photo era. That was on September 8, 2018 in the Nations League: 6-0 against Iceland in St. Gallen.
There were already two super clear victories against Lithuania. A 9-0 at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. And a 4-0 win in the 2014 European Championship qualification in St. Gallen. The last two Lithuania games were tougher. 2: 1 in the same qualification in the LFF stadium in 2015 and 1: 0 last in March, also in St. Gallen.
So: full barrel against Lithuania! An offensive line-up like in Geneva. The basic direction will be the same as against Northern Ireland, promises coach Murat Yakin: “We are going into the game with the same strategy. It has become apparent that the games are identical against Northern Ireland and Lithuania. The team has positioned itself that way, thanks in part to the form in which the players have presented themselves over the past three or four weeks. We don’t change much there. ” Which is why it cannot be assumed that Yakin will make many other changes, except to replace the injured Akanji and Mbabu as well as the suspended Zakaria. Even Nico Elvedi, who is at risk of yellow card suspension for the major Italy game, should appear.
So this is the match plan with which Switzerland will try to make up for the handicap against Italy. Or at least half of it. It would fundamentally change the starting position for the Finalissima in Rome on November 12th.