Switzerland will face Austria at the home World Cup on Wednesday, an opponent that also has maximum points after three games. Nevertheless, according to coach Roger Bader, the hosts are the favorites.
20.05.2026, 08:15
20.05.2026, 11:04
SDA
Roger Bader is Swiss and lives in Kloten, just a five-minute drive from the hotel where he and his team will be staying during the World Cup. A year ago, he led the Austrians to the quarter-finals at a World Cup for the first time since 1994, and now he could do it again. After the victories against Great Britain (5:2) and Hungary (4:2), the ÖEHV team also won 3:1 on Tuesday against Latvia, a direct competitor in the fight for the knockout round.
Bader was full of praise for his team afterwards: "Honestly, we don't even need to coach because the team stuck 100 percent to the game plan with and without the puck. The fighting performance was just insanely great. I get goosebumps when I see it from the boards."
Number 1 in efficiency
The Austrians' cold-bloodedness at this tournament is particularly striking. They only needed 14 shots on goal to beat the Latvians. Across all three games, their efficiency is 17.39% - currently the best of all 16 teams. "What we've shown so far at this World Cup is patience. The next goal is now, of course, to win a fourth game and then we'll be in the quarter-finals."
So the clash against Switzerland is now a top match, so to speak, right? "Yes, yes, you know, there are six NHL players on the other side, none of our two are there. We'll be playing our fourth game in five days - the only team at this tournament. The players are tired after today's game. So I think we've already decided who the favorites are for tomorrow. Switzerland is certainly one of the absolute top favorites for the title. But of course we don't want to be led to the slaughter like the Germans, we want to try and hold our own."
Rohrer enjoys home game despite exertions
ZSC forward Vinzenz Rohrer contributed a goal and an assist to the win against Latvia. What makes the team so strong? "There are many pieces of the puzzle that come together. Everyone does their job, the goalies play great. We've grown over the years. The last world championships were already convincing, so you gain a lot of confidence - just like Switzerland."
Playing in his home stadium is of course something special for Rohrer, as he feels he knows everyone. In any case, it was clear to the 21-year-old from Vorarlberg that he would play the World Cup if it was possible - he would also have joined the team during the tournament. And this despite the fact that he had a grueling season behind him.
He first tried to secure a place with the Montreal Canadiens before returning to the ZSC Lions at the end of September. After the Zurich team was eliminated in the playoff semi-final, Rohrer joined Montreal's farm team Laval Rocket, playing his last game in the AHL on May 9. So how full is the tank still? "I'm certainly pretty much at the limit, but I'm just trying my best." Regardless of this, Switzerland has been warned about its astonishing neighbor.
