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It looks haunted! Even before the decisive match of the women’s team in Leuven against Belgium comes the first shocking news: regular goalkeeper Gaël Thalmann is out due to Corona! Nati’s coach Nils Nielsen brings in Freiburg goalkeeper Elvira Herzog.
And then it’s Herzog who sails down the flank against the Belgians after just over 20 minutes. Tine De Caigny benefits, says Merci and nods: 1-0 for Belgium.
The next Swiss shock follows only a little later. Lia Wälti, captain and service provider, has to leave the field injured after a collision. Five minutes later, Belgium make it 2-0, again De Caigny scores.
Switzerland, who would have needed at least one point in Leuven to win the group and the ticket to the MS, ultimately lose 4-0.
Do we have to go to the playoffs?
Goodbye to EM dreams? No way. The Swiss can be classified as one of the best group runners-up directly for the 2022 tournament in England. But because there are still open games in other groups, that won’t be decided until 2021.
The national team still threatens to drift through the playoffs next spring. And that brings back bad memories: two years ago in the World Cup qualifiers, the Swiss gave away a good starting position in the last two games and then failed in the playoffs.
But that will not happen this time because the team is now “further away and more mature” than it was then, Lia Wälti said before the game in Belgium. Hope lives. You can still dream of participating in a big tournament for the first time since 2017. (mam)
