(sda) “The fear of losing the game was greater than the desire to win it. We couldn’t withstand the pressure today,” said the Swiss star player Andy Schmid. The fact is that after this defeat it will be very difficult to be at a European Championship finals for the second time in a row. Although four of the eight thirds in the group qualify for the European Championship 2022, only the points against the two top teams count in this ranking.
It was an unnecessary defeat for the Swiss. Schmid found the reason for this in the first half, although it ended at 10:10. In the first 30 minutes, the locals recorded no fewer than 14 missed throws and four technical errors. Schmid even used the word catastrophe, speaking of a lack of coolness and determination.
After the break, things went better for the Swiss at first. They scored eight goals in the first ten attacks and took the lead at 18:15 (45th). Almost six and a half minutes later, after one missed throw by Schmid and Lenny Rubin and three technical errors, they were 18:20 behind. After the 20:21 (53rd minute), the SHV selection did not accommodate three shots in a row in the goal, so it was 20:23 in the 57th minute. This mortgage could no longer be repaid.
“If you look at the game soberly, we should clearly beat North Macedonia. But we didn’t deserve to win today,” said Schmid, who was the Swiss most successful thrower with six goals, but whose success rate was only 50 percent. However, at the beginning of the second half he shone with wonderful passes to the circle. Schmid attributed the defeat to the inexperience in such games, as they had many young players on the team. “It’s a process.” And as is well known, things do not always improve in such a situation, which the Swiss bitterly felt.
It was certainly not an advantage for the hosts that they could only play against Denmark on Thursday instead of Wednesday evening as planned, because five players had contact with Pfadi Winterthur’s coach Adrian Brüngger, who had tested positive for the corona virus, which is why the entire delegation met another on Tuesday Had to undergo a PCR test instead of flying to the far north. Circular runner Lucas Meister, who used all four shots, did not want to use this as an excuse. Rather, he criticized the hasty deals and said: “I had expected these points.”
Disadvantage or not, but the fact is that Alen Milosevic, who is employed at Leipzig, was visibly missing – he had to go into quarantine after positive corona tests in his team. Suter saw it that way too, as he only had a trained cyclist in the form of master. About the defeat he said: “It feels very bad, we wanted to win. We had a clear plan that worked defensively. But we lacked the necessary serenity in attack.”
The next date for the Swiss national team would be the Yellow Cup in Winterthur in early January. However, the traditional tournament is unlikely to be held due to the coronavirus pandemic. The European Championship qualification continues in March, when the Swiss face Finland twice, the group’s blatant outsider. Anything but four points would be a disappointment. And then an exploit is needed – either away against North Macedonia or at home against Denmark.
Switzerland – Northern Macedonia 23:25 (10:10)
Schaffhausen. – 50 spectators. – SR Kurtagic / Wetterwik (SWE). – Goal sequence: 0: 1, 2: 2, 2: 4, 4: 4, 5: 5, 5: 7, 7: 9, 10: 9, 10:10; 11:12, 13:12, 15:15, 18:15 (44th), 18:20 (51st), 20:21, 20:23 (57th), 23:25. – Penalties: 4 times 2 minutes against Switzerland, 2 times 2 minutes against North Macedonia.
Switzerland: Bringolf (5 parades) / Portner (4); Schmid (6 goals), Meister (4), Rubin (5), Tynowski, Svajlen, Lier (2), Sidorowicz, Röthlisberger (2), Küttel (1), Maros (2), Tominec (1), Gerbl.
Nordmazedonien: Mitrevski (1 Tor) / Tomovski (ab 45.); Stoilov (5), Lazarov (6/2) Taleski (2), Velko Markoski, Nikola Markoski, Kuzmanovski (4), Goce Georgievski (4), Darko Georgievski, Peshevski (1), Madzovski (1), Mishevski (1) .
Comments: Switzerland without Milosevic (quarantine) and Raemy (battered).
European Championship qualification. Men. Group 7. 2nd round. On Saturday. In Schaffhausen: Switzerland – North Macedonia 23:25 (10:10). – In Vantaa: Finland – Denmark 22:40 (11:19). – Ranking list (2 games each): 1. Denmark 4 (71:48). 2. North Macedonia 4 (58:47). 3. Switzerland 0 (49:56). 4. Finland 0 (46:73). – Next game. 10/11 March: Finland – Switzerland (time and place still open).
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