- Switzerland played 2-2 against Denmark in St. Gallen and they also lost their first win in the quarter-finals of the Nations League.
- Remo Freuler and Zeki Amdouni (penalty) put the national team ahead twice, but the Danes equalized each time. Amdouni’s supposed goal was disallowed a fourth time before the end.
- Spain beat Serbia 3-0 in the final. Switzerland can no longer advance in the League of Nations.
In the 74th minute, the 16,000 spectators in St. Gallen could not help celebrating the goal. After a corner from substitute Filip Ugrinic, Zeki Amdouni made it 3-2 with his second goal of the evening. But the Turkish referee Halil Umut Meler put an end to it immediately: according to his judgment, the ball kicked by Ugrinic with a lot of effort was out of bounds.
The national team continued to push forward, but the third redeeming goal was not to come. It would be a well-deserved reward for a lot of effort and much more will than before. The Swiss are still winless in the Nations League and are still worried about relegation.
Eriksen’s 2:2 against the run of play
After the break, Murat Yakin’s team forced the decision with the score at 2:1 and they were looking for 3:1. Instead, the Danes scored in the 69th minute: Christian Eriksen made it 2-2 after careful preparation work by Captain Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg.
Before the game, Yann Sommer, Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabian Schär, three influential Nati players for many years, were farewelled with a big applause in Kybunpark. The three then saw a much better performance from their colleagues compared to the Serbian game on Saturday.
Yakin switches tactics
Yakin moved to back four and made three changes to the starting eleven. Edimilson Fernandes, Ulisses Garcia and Fabian Rieder replaced Silvan Widmer, Ricardo Rodriguez and Michel Aebischer.
The measures yielded results. Rieder in particular, who played in a central position, was able to skillfully put his teammates in the spotlight again and again.
Freuler’s leadership did not last long
It took until the 26th minute for Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to become dangerous for the first time. But it happened immediately: with a bit of luck, Remo Freuler finished off an attack he had initiated himself. After a cross from Fernandes, a bouncing ball fell at his feet and he shot unbeaten to make it 1-0.
However, the leadership did not last long. Just 85 seconds later the ball was in the goal on the other side. After a foul by Nico Elvedi, Eriksen, in contrast to the Swiss defence, quickly changed gears and sent Gustav Isaksen’s free-kick deep. He went at Gregor Kobel alone and caught the keeper between the legs.
Shortly before the break, the next success came from Switzerland: After Patrick Dorgu brought down Breel Embolo in the penalty area, Amdouni grabbed the ball and used the penalty to make it 2-1.
Relegation battle against Serbia
In the other match in the Swiss group, Spain easily defeated the Serbians 3-0 in Cordoba. Aymeric Laporte, Alvaro Morata and Alex Baena scored the goals and secured the Iberians’ place in the quarter finals.
On the other hand, Switzerland failed to progress – 1st and 2nd places in the group have disappeared. The national team is still fighting for third place against Serbia and against direct relegation. The duel is just coming up in Zurich in a month. At the end of the group stage, Switzerland will meet the unbeaten Spaniards in Tenerife on November 18.