The Swiss national team ended their campaign with their fourth defeat in their sixth Nations League group game. Coach Murat Yakin sees some positives despite the poor result.
The national team coach was relieved that the Nations League chapter is now closed for the time being. The cold he had caught in the last few days cost Yakin additional strength. He felt "flat", said the 50-year-old after the 3:2 defeat against Spain. And with that, he somewhat embodied the whole team, which had not really got going during the entire campaign.
The performance in Tenerife must be viewed separately due to the many changes in the team. And so Yakin also saw some things he liked. "We wanted to give some players another chance to show themselves at the end. We fought with solidarity in the first half and believed in our chances in the second half." The fact that two of the three goals conceded in Spain resulted from penalties was of course unfortunate, said Yakin. With a total of 14 goals conceded in six games, a better points haul is hardly possible.
On the other hand, Yakin was pleased that his team found their way back into the game twice against the European champions and almost picked up an away point in the end. Even though the opponents had also made a lot of changes and did not field their best eleven. You can see the width that top nations like Spain have at their disposal, said Yakin. "Unfortunately, we don't have that width." Nevertheless, from the coach's point of view, players such as Joël Monteiro, Miro Muheim and Simon Sohm have forced their way into further appearances.
When the World Cup qualifiers begin in March, the national coach will decide which of these new players will be back in the squad. The group draw is on December 13. When asked about his preferred opponents, Yakin took a deep breath and said: "I'll wait and see. First I need some rest and recuperation."
SDA
