The Swiss team plays big on Tuesday against the Czechs in the round of 16 of the Beijing Olympics (9:40 a.m.). Patrick Fischer readjusted his offensive lines. Released from quarantine, will Dario Simion be summoned?
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Switzerland are looking to revitalize their offense by making some changes to the attacking lines.
The Swiss team is under pressure: a defeat on Tuesday against the Czechs (9:40 a.m.) in the round of 16 would end its Olympic career at the same stage as four years ago in South Korea (against Germany).
Already beaten three times in the group stage (by the Russians 1-0, the Czechs 1-2 after penalties as well as Denmark 5-3), one more loss would have the weight of a humiliation for a Swiss selection whose objective is to reach the last four and join the fight for a medal.
Coach Patrick Fischer will call up eight defenders and twelve attackers for this tough match, he announced Monday morning. But could Dario Simion’s release from quarantine on Monday afternoon change his mind and summon one more attacker (read below)?
The Zugois also made some changes to two of his four attacking triples. The line of Gaëtan Haas (with Simon Moser and Grégory Hofmann) as well as that of Enzo Corvi (with Andres Ambühl and Calvin Thürkauf) remain unchanged from the last match, Saturday against Denmark.
Mottet and Herzog promoted
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Fabrice Herzog will skate alongside Denis Malgin and Sven Andrighetto against the Czechs.
The main beneficiary of these changes is Killian Mottet: little used so far, the Fribourg-Gottéron striker is moving up the hierarchy and will certainly have more playing time. Above all, he will now play alongside a creative center, Christoph Bertschy, and Joel Vermin.
Fabrice Herzog, who skated alongside the two Lémaniques against the Danes, will take place alongside Denis Malgin and Sven Andrighetto in place of Denis Hollenstein. Which means that the latter should be supernumerary for the match against the Czechs. The defense should however remain the same.
Genoni or Berra?
Finally, who of Reto Berra (defeats against the Russians and Denmark) or Leonardo Genoni (defeat after penalties against the Czech Republic) will be established on Tuesday against the Czechs?
If Fischer never reveals the name of the starting goalkeeper in advance, Leonardo Genoni could well have a head start. At the last Worlds in Latvia, the EVZ goalkeeper was in front of the Swiss team’s goal when they beat the Czechs 5-2 in the group stage.
It was also he who, in Beijing, held the Czechs in check in regulation time (1-1) before conceding defeat in the penalty shootout. If Switzerland win their round of 16, they will face Finland on Wednesday.