FCZ’s winning streak ends in Valais. But the appearance of the city of Zurich in the 1-1 draw against Sitten shows that this is how you become a champion. Especially since the competitors YB and FC Basel do not make an irresistible impression.
Secures a point for FCZ in overtime: Midfielder Antonio Marchesano scores from the penalty spot to make it 1-1.
There are still observers who don’t trust FC Zurich to become champions. Week after week you wait for a setback from the leader, game after game the FCZ continues its winning streak unimpressed. That’s how it’s been since the beginning of November and a 2-1 win against Servette in Geneva – with 9 wins in a row and only 4 goals conceded.
And even if Zurich don’t win, like they did 1-1 in Sion on Sunday, the draw feels like a win. “We have shown great morale,” says Antonio Marchesano. “And we were rewarded with the late compensation.”
The playmaker Marchesano made it 1-1 in the 97th and last minute – well into stoppage time – with a superbly converted penalty kick into the right corner of the goal. He celebrated his 10th goal of the season exuberantly in front of around 1,200 fans who traveled with him in the guest sector. There is euphoria around FC Zurich, it’s still tender, but it’s growing, week by week, game by game. And those observers who continue to consider an FCZ championship title unimaginable are finding fewer and fewer arguments.
One could still argue that no Zurich player would be an undisputed regular at rivals Young Boys and FC Basel. You can compare the first eleven of the FCZ with that of the champions from Bern and you can definitely see that YB is individually stronger in almost every position. And of course the ball has been rolling for FC Zurich in recent weeks.
At the start of the second half of the season, for example, there was a 1-0 win over Servette after an opponent’s own goal. In the derby, serious GC errors led to the turning point and Zurich’s 3-1 victory. And a week ago, the equal Lugano missed a penalty, the FCZ won 3-0.
Overcome many obstacles
So the month-long FCZ winning streak ended on Sunday in Sion. But the appearance in Valais was another Zurich application game for the position as a title candidate. Because the guest had to overcome a lot of resistance, because he showed character and mentality, because he never gave up in a tough encounter and hardly ever got hectic. Although FC Sion appeared tough and once again confirmed its reputation as the league’s lucky bag.
There were nine warnings in an emotional game against the Sioners, plus two red cards against Marquinhos Cipriano and coach Paolo Tramezzani. FC Sion fought and threw themselves into the shots, he was unpleasant and snappy, he led 1-0 after a fine goal by Wesley in the middle of the second half, he delivered a convincing defensive battle after Cipriano was sent off. But FCZ once again found a way to unleash themselves and already won their 17th point this season from a deficit.
That’s why the same applies to this performance by FC Zurich: That’s how you become a champion. The coach André Breitenreiter keeps the tension high, the breadth and depth of his squad allow him to react appropriately depending on the situation, the team’s self-confidence and self-image have developed. Even if communication is still reserved. It was a few weeks ago when Ancillo Canepa was sitting in his office in the middle of Zurich and with a wink threatened the journalist with a beating if the FCZ president was somehow associated with the goal of the championship title. “We’re enjoying the moment,” said Canepa.
The moment has long since become momentum. It’s going well for FCZ, the club remains stable. In addition, the competitors from Bern and Basel are in an identification phase. YB lacks the irresistibility of the championship years, FCB is too far from convincing performances to be credited with a spectacular catch-up race.
YB concedes late goal again
And so the 13th FCZ championship title is actually getting closer. The doubters don’t have to worry about FC Zurich, they think it’s flying too high. At the latest when the city of Zurich should defeat FC Basel in the Letzigrund on Sunday, he will no longer be able to hide behind empty phrases when it comes to ambitions.
Although: why not? After all, FCZ coach André Breitenreiter said they wanted to let the fans dream. There have been some surprising, even sensational champions in recent decades. One thinks of the newly promoted Kaiserslautern in Germany in 1998, of the blatant outsiders Leicester in the Premier League in 2016, and those who want to stay in Switzerland remember FC Aarau in 1993.
In any case, FC Zurich’s lead after 22 match days is comfortable. The pursuers YB (2:2 at GC) and Basel (3:0 against Lausanne) are 10 points behind. The Young Boys conceded another goal deep in added time against the Grasshoppers on Sunday evening in the Letzigrund – in the 96th and last minute.