What a Swiss spectacle in front of their own fans in Berlin!
Image: Keystone
The Swiss fans could not have had a better evening in Berlin's Olympic Stadium
Image: Keystone
Remo Freuler scored the first Swiss goal after a smart run into the Italian penalty area
Image: Keystone
Ruben Vargas curled the ball seconds after the restart...
Image: Keystone
... past Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to make it 2-0
Image: Keystone
Alessandro Bastoni and the Italians are stunned
Image: Keystone
Yann Sommer had the biggest scare when team-mate Fabian Schär headed the ball against his own post
Image: Keystone
What a Swiss spectacle in front of their own fans in Berlin!
Image: Keystone
The Swiss fans could not have had a better evening in Berlin's Olympic Stadium
Image: Keystone
Remo Freuler scored the first Swiss goal after a smart run into the Italian penalty area
Image: Keystone
Ruben Vargas curled the ball seconds after the restart...
Image: Keystone
... past Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to make it 2-0
Image: Keystone
Alessandro Bastoni and the Italians are stunned
Image: Keystone
Yann Sommer had the biggest scare when team-mate Fabian Schär headed the ball against his own post
Image: Keystone
The story of the Swiss national team at the European Championship in Germany continues. Murat Yakin's team beat Italy 2:0 in the round of 16.
Just like three years ago, Switzerland reached the quarter-finals of the European Championship. And just like three years ago (victory on penalties against France), they beat a great footballing nation on the way there. And how! Italy, four-time world champions and two-time European champions (most recently in 2021), were really played to the wall in the first half.
The fact that Remo Freuler scored the goal that put Switzerland ahead after a long, unsuccessful run was probably something like fate. Not only because the 32-year-old rarely receives the recognition he deserves as "Granit Xhaka's sidekick". But above all because Freuler had had a difficult few days.
An actually harmless statement he made was presented in the Italian press in such a way that Freuler suddenly found himself confronted with many attacks on social media. Freuler had pointed out that Switzerland had stayed ahead of the Italians in the World Cup qualifiers, who subsequently missed out on the tournament. One medium claimed to have detected a mocking undertone, whereupon Freuler and his family were insulted below the belt. The Zurich native, who has lived in Italy for almost eight years with a brief interruption, felt compelled to publish an apology.
The fact that he was now able to give an answer on the pitch visibly did Freuler good. He released the tension of the past few days in a sprint, a leap over the boards and a cry of joy. The 71-time international (9 goals) has rarely been seen like this.
Vargas' trick shot into luck
The lead could hardly have been more deserved. Few could have imagined that Switzerland would dominate Italy like this. In fact, the Azzurri were unable to cope with the Swiss' strong pressing. It often took just two or three passes for possession to go back to the Reds.
The only flaw was the exploitation of chances and the final passes or crosses. Too often, the bright ideas were missing. And when Breel Embolo suddenly found himself alone in front of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, he probably had too much time and shot too imprecisely.
Ruben Vargas showed how to finish accurately after around half a minute in the second half. He calmly took the ball on his right foot at the left corner of the penalty area and flicked it into the far corner of the goal. And for the 25-year-old winger, who has often battled passionately but haplessly in this tournament, it was also a redemption. He was the sixth goal scorer for the Swiss at this tournament; no one has ever scored twice.
And what happened next can be summarized quickly: Switzerland confidently defended their lead over time. Italy hardly had any chances, and the defense only had to tremble briefly when Fabian Schär's attempted header landed on his own post.
Reward for pulling together
For the Swiss national team, the success against Italy is a coup and the reward for an overall strong tournament performance - on and off the pitch. The players, above all coach Yakin and captain Xhaka, have pulled themselves together after the weak European Championship qualifiers and found a common path.
The team has become a unit and has realized that it has a great chance with the "master axis" of Yann Sommer, Manuel Akanji and Granit Xhaka. The players have already emphasized the high intensity and quality of the training sessions during their preparations in St. Gallen. Side issues such as the poor training ground in Stuttgart or the still unclear future of coach Yakin were deliberately ignored in order to concentrate on the big goal.
The official target was to reach the knockout phase. However, as this had always been achieved in the last ten years, it was clear that only reaching the quarter-finals would trigger the right euphoria. The Swiss have now achieved this! They will remain in Germany for at least another week and will face England or Slovakia next Saturday (18:00) in Düsseldorf.
Telegram:
Switzerland - Italy 2:0 (1:0)
Berlin. - 68'172 spectators. - SR Marciniak (POL). - Goals: 37 Freuler (Vargas) 1:0. 46 Vargas (Aebischer) 2:0.
Switzerland: Sommer; Schär, Akanji, Rodriguez; Ndoye (77. Sierro), Freuler, Xhaka, Aebischer (92. Steffen); Rieder (72. Stergiou), Vargas (72. Zuber); Embolo (77. Duah).
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Mancini, Bastoni, Darmian (75. Cambiaso); Cristante (75. Pellegrini), Fagioli (86. Frattesi), Barella (64. Retegui); Chiesa, Scamacca, El Shaarawy (46. Zaccagni).
Remarks: Switzerland without Widmer (suspended). Italy without Calafiori (suspended). 45th Rieder hit the post. 52nd header from Schär against his own post. 74th Scamacca hit the post. Cautions: 35 for Barella, 45 for El Shaarawy. 57th Mancini.
