2023-06-19 21:18:51
European Championship qualification
Two goals conceded in added time – the Swiss national team only played 2-2 against Romania
Another late collapse: The Swiss national team gambled away a 2-0 win against Romania. Zeki Amdouni is a celebrated man with two goals.
The shocked Swiss after the Romanians caught up late.
Michael Buholzer / EPA
Actually, it could have been an evening full of joy. An evening at the end of which the Swiss wanted to celebrate their fourth win in the fourth game of this European Championship qualifier.
But then suddenly everything is different. Instead of 2:0 it is 2:2. Romania equalizes this game within three minutes. Valentin Mihaila, a striker with Parma Calcio in Serie B, eludes the Swiss defense twice. Once in the 89th minute. Once in the 92nd minute.
There is one last gasp from the national team. One last ball forward. And the Nati almost manages to ensure the acclaimed final point. But the substitute Bislimi only hit the bar. It’s over shortly after.
The yellow part of the stadium is celebrating, the red part is pretty shocked. It’s an unexpected end for the 14,400 spectators. Nevertheless, the Swiss fans say goodbye to the players with warm applause for the summer holidays.
Not happy: national team coach Murat Yakin after the match against Romania.
Michael Buholzer / EPA
It’s a draw that feels like a defeat for Switzerland. Not in a single moment before the fatal 89th minute did it become apparent that victory could be in danger. In the end, however, the many missed opportunities to decide the game prematurely take their revenge. Neither Shaqiri right after the break, nor Seferovic, nor Sow managed to take advantage of any of the high-class opportunities.
And so memories are awakened of March 26, 2019. At that time, Switzerland, also in the European Championship qualifier, even led 3-0 against Denmark – and had to take three more goals to make it 3-3. If such a late collapse should be a good omen for the subsequent EM, then the Swiss are sure to take it with them. As a reminder: The EM 2021 was a great moment with the quarter-final qualification.
Xherdan Shaqiri shot by Romanian drummer Horatiu Moldovan.
Martin Meienberger / freshfocus
But for now, scolding is appropriate. How the Swiss let themselves be caught twice by these harmless Romanians was pretty naïve. That shouldn’t happen to a team with these standards.
The qualification for the European Championship is now therefore not exactly in danger. On the contrary. It is still simply inconceivable that the Nati will somehow slip to third place in this modest group. For that she is simply superior to her opponents.
Zeki Amdouni could become the new Alex Frei
For a long time it seemed that Zeki Amdouni would write the history of this game. The 22-year-old (still) FCB striker apparently scores as he wants these days. Already a goalscorer in Andorra, he now followed up with a brace. Although he still had a chance for the hat trick.
At 1:0 he completed a nice combination via Freuler, Xhaka and Vargas. At 2: 0 he scored alone in front of the goal in cold blood, whereby Shaqiri’s pass with the outer instep was really great.
Star of the evening: Swiss striker Zeki Amdouni.
Urs Flueeler / KEYSTONE
There are voices that have been saying for a number of years: If this Swiss team also had a world-class striker, then a really big hit would be possible at a European Championship or a World Cup. Now there are good reasons not to put too much pressure on Amdouni. It’s much too early for that. And Amdouni still has to prove that he can regularly score goals abroad.
But you can still ask yourself one thing: has Switzerland finally found its new Alex Frei? Frei has scored 42 goals in his 84 international matches. So one every other game. It’s an outstanding rate. One that Frei’s successors never even remotely achieved. Amdouni now has five Nati goals in five appearances, one per game.
For comparison: Haris Seferovic needed 21 appearances until he scored his fifth national goal. Breel Embolo even 41 missions. Football Switzerland had high hopes for both. At least as big as now in Amdouni.
Zeki Amdouni is celebrated after his second goal against Romania.
Michael Buholzer / EPA
While Seferovic’s national career is drawing to a close (it wouldn’t be surprising if it were soon), Embolo still has hopes of becoming a regular national goalscorer. Unfortunately, his health often doesn’t play along. This year Embolo missed all four international matches injured.
The question now is: will Amdouni keep his composure even when the pressure mounts? So far he was allowed to meet. Soon the goals will be expected from him.
While his colleagues are now going on holiday with a heavy blow, Amdouni has the opportunity for rehabilitation. He travels with the U21s to Romania, of all places, and will contest the European Youth Championship there from Thursday.
Here’s the live ticker for the match:
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