The Swiss Team underwent a cruel setback against the Norwegians (1-2) during the 1st day of the Women’s Euro in front of 34,000 spectators (a crowd widely beaten for a female selection match) Wednesday evening in Basel …
The Swiss team lost the opening match of “SA” Euro on Wednesday in Basel. Faced with Norway, Pia Sundhage’s players led to the score after a superb start but finally bowed 2-1.
The party could have been total on the banks of the Rhine. The Swissses had a total grip on the game, with exciting players pushed by an almost full Saint-Jacques park (34,063 spectators) and an opening of the deserved score: the scenario was perfect. Until Norway reverses the steam in the space of five minutes, at the start of the second period.
From the initial whistle of the Romanian game director Alina Pesu, they nevertheless just, showing themselves as precise in their transmissions as generous in their commitment. After less than a minute of play, Iman Beney already brought the ball into the Scandinavian surface, the first thrill of this hot and festive Basel evening.
Omnipresent nadine riesen
But it is on the opposite side that the danger has accentuated. On her left flank, Nadine Riesen validated the stubbornness of Pia Sundhagus and her two-piston system, a 3-5-2 which worked perfectly, creating practically insoluble tactical problems for the Scandinavians during the first-five minutes.
Nadine Riesen, still free from any marking, tried to find her teammates in the area. But neither by the tunes nor at the ground of the player of the Eintracht Frankfurt managed to make the last difference.
It is therefore natural that she decided to try her luck, undoubtedly galvanized by the powerful strike from Géraldine Reuteler who had just crashed on the crossbar of Cecilie Fiskerstrand a few minutes earlier (24th). Nadine Riesen, she saw her shooting crossing the line to offer Switzerland an opening of the score more than deserved.
The alarm clock of the stars
But Norway has two world class players in its ranks who have a rare sense of goal. Upon returning from the locker room, Ada Hegerbeg, 2018 Golden Ball, argued all her experience: she passed the Swiss Guardian Livia Peng, hitherto impeccable, to equalize on Corner (54th). And four minutes later, Livia Peng was beaten on an autogual of her teammate Julia Stierli (already in difficulty on the Czech equalization on the previous Thursday) pressed by Caroline Graham Hansen, 2nd of the Golden Ball 2024.
The ABSENCE DE LUANA Bühler
The Swiss has had the merit of not cracking, and the introduction of Sydney Schertenleib at the time of play gave them back, Geraldine Reuteler binding Cecilie Fiskerstrand to a high class parade (66th). They even thought they were getting another chance to equalize when Ms. Pesu indicated the penalty point (72nd), just after Ada Hegerberg’s failure in this same exercise (70th). But an offside reported by the Var took the hope of a second Swiss goal (Alayah Pilgrim had three toes beyond the fateful line). On these two actions, we have noticed how the absence of the central rear Luana Bühler – injured – was detrimental.
With this initial defeat, the Swiss team is already in difficulty in group A. It has two matches left, against two opponents a priori more affordable, to reverse the trend and obtain its ticket for the quarter -finals. The first will take place on Sunday (9 p.m.) in Bern against Iceland.
