The Swiss Women’s Football team conceded a cruel backhand for its beginnings in “its” Euro. Carried by a fantastic audience, Lia Wälti and his teammates first delivered a performance of choice, before undergoing the revolt of Norway and its stars. Here are the three points to remember from this opening match played Wednesday in Basel.
We liked …
… Swiss craze. It must be recognized, before arriving in Basel, we wondered if the atmosphere would be there. Certainly, the Saint-Jacques park displayed almost complete, but were we going to feel the tension rising in the Rhine city? It is clear that it is not the heat wave and its 35 degrees Celsius who have cooled Swiss supporters.
From the middle of the afternoon, a red married swept through the streets of the Basel city. Several thousand fans gathered on the famous Münsterplatz in a good -natured atmosphere, before starting a procession to the stadium.
And it is not the small hour of walking under a blazing sun that calmed their ardor when arrived. Each successful pass, each nice gesture or each against the selection of Pia Sundhagus caused clamors coming from the stands.
“It gave us a lot of energy and strength, it was magnificent. We couldn’t imagine playing in front of such an audience. It was incredible, I don’t look at this as something normal, “said the Viola Calligaris defender. “It was an incredible atmosphere. I was very moved at the beginning, I almost cried. It was too good to see, ”turned on the young midfielder Noemi Ivelj.
Unfortunately for the more than 34,000 spectators present, their fervor was not enough …
We liked it less …
… the awakening of the Norwegians. Who would have imagined such an outcome at tea time? Indeed, the players of Gemma Grainger were transparent in the first half. It must be said that the Swiss began the meeting The knife between the teeth, not seeming to be impacted by the stake and the pressure to play in front of their audience. On the contrary.
Brought by the latter, Nadine Riesen, in all the right shots, and her teammates have evolved with a disconcerting relaxation. Add to that a Lia Walti at the top of his art and a constant Swiss pressing that put the Scandinavians in their little shoes, and you get an “almost perfect” half, in the words of Calligaris.
Yes, but now, Norway overturned the steam in just a few minutes on the return from the locker room. First by equalizing on a raging head by Ada Hegerberg (54th), then taking the lead following an unfortunate Autogal by Julia Sterli (58th). From then on, everything seemed to go wrong for Switzerland and his opponent took the opportunity to make his experience speak, even playing to be hated by the public.
Loss of time, broken rhythm, players remaining on the ground or extension changes: the Norwegians have used all the fraudulent combins to bring the Swiss out of their match and annoy the red and white fans. “It’s football … Sometimes you can’t decide everything,” said Ivelj. “But he has more rage than reduction in the locker room.”
Ragging, indeed, for a nati who had released a first half-flight half, his “more beautiful for years” according to some followers. She will now have to confirm this excellent performance on Sunday in Bern against Iceland.
The X factor
The luck of the champions. At most badly and smothered by Swiss in fury, the Norwegians got back to their stars and a boost of fate to snatch an unimaginable victory at tea time.
It was first Ada Hegerberg who sounded the revolt. On the … First Nordic shift (!), The 2018 Golden Ball was higher than everyone on a corner in the 54th minute. Four minutes later, it was the other star of the team, Graham Hansen, to push Julia Sterli to the fault on her center.
“We have to manage to play well for 90 minutes,” said Calligaris. “These are the details that matter to such players. If you have a moment of deconcentration or if you make a little mistake, they will take advantage of it directly. ”
A lesson in realism which contrasts with the many opportunities overused by Géraldine Reuteler (transverse bar in particular affected in the 24th) and the rest of the Swiss team. But like a Real Madrid among men, Norway, a double winner of the Euro (in 1987 and 1993), is one of those teams which remains unpredictable and dangerous even in a bad day. To the chagrin of Switzerland.
