Just over 20 hours after the disappointing performance against Sweden, the Swiss national team suddenly seemed transformed. With five goals in a quarter of an hour, Johan Schönbeck’s team sent their many fans into ecstasy. The Czechs, on the other hand, just like Switzerland had done the day before, barely got back into the game after conceding their second goal and played an unconvincing game.
The home team almost fell behind after 70 seconds. The Swiss defence, including goalie Nils Schälin, had already been beaten, but the ball bounced back off the post. Switzerland had to fight against a high pressure, but almost took the lead after ten minutes with their first goal chance. Yannic Fitzi served Deny Känzig from behind the opponent’s goal, and the Wil striker scored ice-cold to make it 1-0. Although the Czechs reacted immediately – after a free kick in the corner, Suchanek appeared completely free in front of the Swiss goal – the first goal gave Johan Schönbeck’s team a boost. The Swiss found increasingly better solutions in their game with the ball, and Paolo Riedi missed a last good opportunity shortly before the first half.
Czech Republic’s mistake exploited
The positive Swiss trend continued in the middle third, and this time the goals followed. After a mistake in the Czechs’ build-up play, Marco Louis waited patiently and found Jan Zaugg, who scored to put them back in the lead. After a long-range shot by David Hermle to make it 3-1, Zaugg took advantage of the Eastern Europeans’ next mistake himself and scored to make it 4-1. After a quick counterattack, Yannis Wyss served his club colleague Marco Louis – and the score was already 5-1. The Czechs seemed unsettled in this phase and made many mistakes. Switzerland played with a lot of self-confidence and was able to take this into the final third: The sixth Swiss goal was scored in the 42nd minute with the first power play opportunity of the game. Jan Bürki did the nice preparatory work and Patrick Mendelin scored confidently.
The Czechs only became dangerous again when Janis Lauber, the first Swiss player to go to the penalty box, was sent to the penalty box. Although the box play also had two good opportunities, Nemecek brought the guests back a little closer with a 6:2 lead, with a good six minutes left to play. The Swiss back line was now under a little more pressure, and the next goal was scored when the Czechs were already playing without a goalie. With an empty-netter by Marco Louis and a burst of energy from Sandro Schmuki, the decision was made within seven seconds with one and a half minutes to go.
Switzerland finished the EFT with two wins and one loss and showed the hoped-for reaction to the 0:5 defeat against Sweden on Sunday. As the Swiss team did not win an extra point in any of the three penalty shootouts, the tournament victory went to Sweden and Switzerland finished third behind the Czech Republic. Overall, however, the four teams were only separated by a single point in the final ranking. It was much more important to celebrate a conciliatory end with the large number of fans. The eight goals sent the home crowd into almost ecstasy at times and Schönbeck’s team celebrated a successful Sunday afternoon, especially in the game with the ball. Before the World Cup in Malmö (7th to 15th December), there is a final dress rehearsal at the EFT in Finland from 18th to 20th October against the three same opponents as in Winterthur.
Switzerland – Czech Republic 8:3 (1:1, 4:0, 3:2)
Axa Arena, Winterthur. 1781 spectators. Referee Leholk/Schmidt (DEN).
Tore: 10. (9:56) Känzig (Fitzi) 1:0. 11. (10:21) Suchanek (Forman) 1:1. 27. (26:27) Zaugg (Louis) 2:1. 28. (27:29) Hermle (Känzig) 3:1. 32. Zaugg 4:1. 39. Louis (Wyss) 5:1. 42. Mendelin (Bürki) 6:1 (power play goal). 54. Nemecek (Forman) 6:2 (power play goal). 57. Havlas (Langer) 6:3 (Czech Republic without a goalkeeper). 59. (58:32) Louis 7:3 (into the empty net). 59. (58:39) Schmuki (Hutzli) 8:3.
Punish: 1×2 minutes against Switzerland. 1×2 minutes against the Czech Republic.
Switzerland: Schälin; Wyss, Bürki; Hasenböhler, Schmuki; Hollenstein, Hermle; Louis, Zaugg, Maurer; Seiler, Lauber, Riedi; Fitzi, Hutzli, Känzig; Mutter, Mendelin.
Czech Republic: Bauer; Suchanek, Krbec; Melis, Benes; Sindler, Zouzal; Add; Rypar, Langer, Foreman; Besta, Jendrisak, Delong; Gattnar, Hanak, Kreisa; Havlas.
Remarks: Filip Forman and Nils Schälin were named best players.
