Switzerland are relegated to League B for the first time in the fourth edition of the Nations League. The 1:1 draw against Serbia at the Letzigrund in Zurich sealed the fate of coach Murat Yakin's team.
They were looking for the 2:0, they threw everything forward. The Swiss needed a second goal to overtake Serbia in the table and have a chance of securing their place in the league on their own in the final round on Monday. In the end, it was too much of a risk. In the 88th minute, the Serbs launched a counter-attack after a corner kick, which Aleksa Terzic finished off with a shot into the net. A stab in the heart for the Swiss and a finish that was in keeping with their unsuccessful campaign in the Nations League.
The goal was also bitter for Gregor Kobel, who conceded at least one goal in his tenth international match and could have been the hero of the game. In the 55th minute, he had kept Switzerland in the game with a sensational save. He saved Aleksandar Mitrovic's penalty with his foot thanks to a strong reflex save. Cheers broke out in the Letzigrund, Kobel pointed to his head with his fingers and spurred on his teammates: Now it was purely a matter of heads.
And the story was almost crowned just four minutes later. Zeki Amdouni was given a free shot after a cross from the left. But the Geneva player failed to beat Serbia goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic with his shot from around six meters. It should have been the lead and could have shifted the momentum completely to Switzerland's side.
Amdouni briefly restores hope
However, the Swiss were forced to keep going. And just when it looked as if they would simply not succeed on this evening, Amdouni struck. After a cross from Ricardo Rodriguez, Remo Freuler laid off to the 23-year-old, who rewarded his strong performance with the redeeming goal in the 79th minute to make it 1:0. Amdouni was thus responsible for three of the four goals in the Nations League fall.
In the end, however, the "what if" question remained. What if the ball had landed in the net in the 28th minute off Noah Okafor's thigh instead of on the crossbar? What if Amdouni had scored in the 59th minute? What if Edimilson Fernandes' shot in the 82nd minute had landed in the goal instead of bouncing off the post?
The actions show: The Swiss braced themselves against relegation from League A. However, they once again lacked the necessary luck and composure. They got themselves into this unfortunate situation through inadequate performances, including in the away game against Serbia.
No reconciliation with the Letzigrund
In the end, the Swiss were left with nothing but disappointment. Reconciliation with the Letzigrund in Zurich, where the last victory was 17 years ago and where the national team had already suffered a number of disappointments, failed to materialize.
At the end of the group stage, Switzerland will face European champions Spain away from home on Monday. In the insignificant match on Tenerife, the national team can at least bring the unsuccessful campaign to a conciliatory close. The first games of the World Cup qualifiers will then begin in March, when Yakin's team will have to show a different face.
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Switzerland - Serbia 1:1 (0:0)
Zurich. - 21'115 spectators. - SR Turpin (FRA). - Goals: 79. Amdouni (Freuler) 1:0. 88. Terzic (Mitrovic) 1:1.
Switzerland: Kobel; Fernandes (83. Mbabu), Cömert, Amenda, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Rieder (66. Monteiro), Amdouni, Okafor (66. Kutesa), Embolo (66. Zeqiri).
Serbia: Petrovic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Babic (46. Stojic); Zivkovic (78. Nedeljkovic), Nemanja Maksimovic, Gudelj, Terzic (89. Zdjelar); Samardzic (72. Topic), Vlahovic, Mitrovic (90. Maksimovic).
Remarks: Switzerland without Elvedi (suspended/injured), Akanji and Ndoye (both injured), among others. Serbia without Erakovic, Pavlovic (both suspended) and Rajkovic (injured). 55. foul penalty by Mitrovic saved by Kobel. Cautions: 25 for Terzic, 35 for Xhaka, 51 for Embolo (suspended for next match), 51 for Zivkovic, 54 for Cömert,
SDA
