The Swiss national team wins 3:1 against Luxembourg. Murat Yakin's team plays a composed game and scores all its goals in the first half.
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- Switzerland wins the test match against Luxembourg 3:1.
- The Nati score all their goals in the 1st half. Ruben Vargas, Breel Embolo and Miro Muheim score.
- Luxembourg scores shortly before the end to make it 3:1.
Eight games without a win were enough: the Swiss national team wins the second test match of the year against Luxembourg 3:1.
Testing the new players was more important than the result, said national team coach Murat Yakin the day before the game against Luxembourg. However, the national coach must have realized that the team could not afford another disappointment after their recent mediocre to weak performances. Not in front of a home crowd, not against the number 92 team in the world rankings.
Contrary to the original announcement, Ricardo Rodriguez was on the pitch after all and even led the team as captain. The Zurich native, who played his 127th international match, was part of the back three that he formed together with Eray Cömert and Stefan Gartenmann. Yakin therefore opted for a change of system and reverted to the 3-4-3 with which he was successful at the European Championship.
Striking Muheim
And the Swiss seemed willing to offer something to the modest (by St. Gallen standards) crowd of 8,363 fans. Miro Muheim in particular was visibly motivated in his second international match on the left flank to show his best side at his old place of work. In the 9th minute, he passed into the middle and found Ruben Vargas, who put the hosts ahead.
Breel Embolo, who had been unlucky in the 1-1 draw in Northern Ireland on Friday, increased the lead to 2-0 just three minutes later. The Monaco striker converted a foul penalty he had taken himself to crown his 75th international appearance. It was even 3-0 after half an hour when Ruben Vargas' shot was slightly deflected by Miro Muheim.
The efficiency with which the Swiss had shone at the start was lacking in the following minutes. Dan Ndoye failed to score after a strong solo run, as did Embolo, who finished too nonchalantly after a beautiful pass from Muheim. The eye-catching Muheim also had another good chance one day after his 27th birthday, but missed.
The Luxembourgers were dangerous a few times from set pieces. Yvon Mvogo, who replaced Gregor Kobel between the posts, made a strong save in the 24th minute. However, he had no chance when the visitors scored a consolation goal shortly before the end. Danel Sinani scored with a penalty, which substitute Aurèle Amenda had caused with a shirt tug.
Debut for Hajdari
Otherwise, the intensity had visibly dropped in the second half, which was also due to the many changes. From a Swiss point of view, the substitution of 21-year-old Albian Hajdari, who made his debut for Switzerland, was particularly noteworthy.
The success in the test match may not be important in sporting terms, but it was important for the mental aspect: the national team ended its run of winless matches and regained some self-confidence after the bitter Nations League fall.
The national players can now turn their attention to the end of the season with their clubs before two more test matches in June as part of their trip to the USA. The opponents are Mexico (June 7) and the USA (June 11).
Comments on the game
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90.
Switzerland wins
The game is over and the national team wins 3:1 against Luxembourg. The goals for Switzerland come from Ruben Vargas, Breel Embolo and Miro Muheim. Luxembourg scores a consolation goal in St.Gallen shortly before the end with a foul penalty.
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89.
Goal Luxembourg
Six minutes after coming on as a substitute, Amenda makes his first appearance and concedes a penalty. The central defender brings down Alessio Curci. Sinani is not asked twice and scores. Mvogo anticipates the corner, but the penalty is too close.
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81.
Next change
Amenda returns to the national team after his injury and replaces Vargas.
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76.
Vargas with the top chance
Ruben Vargas has no end of time and gets his shot away unchallenged in front of the Luxembourg goal. Left, right, up, down - Vargas has a virtually free choice of where to place the ball. However, his shot ends up directly and centrally in the hands of the Luxembourg keeper. Incidentally, if Vargas had scored, it would not have been a hat-trick, as his goal to make it 2:0 has since been credited to Miro Muheim. The ex-Espe deflected the ball.
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70.
8'363 spectators
The stands in St.Gallen are emptier than ever. Over 8,000 people made the pilgrimage to St.Gallen to watch the test match against Luxembourg. The last time there were fewer spectators at a national team match was in November 2018 for the test match in Lugano against Qatar.
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66.
Rieder and Schmidt come in
More changes for the national team: Fabian Rieder and Isaac Schmidt replace the lively Lucas Blondel and winger Dan Ndoye.
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54.
Embolo has the 4:0 on his feet
Muheim is on the left in the opponent's penalty area and crosses to Breel Embolo. The striker and now captain tries to lob the ball over the Luxembourg keeper. The attempt is unsuccessful and the score remains 3:0.
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52.
Luxembourg concede little
So, the first few minutes of the second half have been played. And that really tells the whole story. Switzerland have more possession, but have yet to get into the danger zone.
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46.
Yakin stirs the substitution machine - let's continue
Switzerland have three new players on the pitch. Aebischer, Zakaria and Hajdari replace Gartenmann, Sierro and Rodriguez. And immediately the ball is rolling again.
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45.
Switzerland lead 3:0 at the break
The Swiss have everything under control in the first half. Vargas scores twice (9th/29th), in between Embolo (12th) converts a penalty. Luxembourg's only chance was thwarted by the strong reaction of Yvon Mvogo.
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42.
Ndoye misses a top chance
Ndoye outpaces several Luxembourgers with his speed, but fails to finish with the goalkeeper. In the middle, Embolo is annoyed that Ndoye doesn't play the ball to him, as all he had to do was push the ball over the line.
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36.
Sow clears for a corner with a tackle
Sow with great defensive work. He makes a fine tackle to prevent Sinani from crossing and clears for a corner. Sinani already has enough problems with Blondel, with the two of them repeatedly clashing and provoking each other.
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29.
Vargas scores to make it 3:0
Embolo passes to Vargas, who moves into the sixteen and then, after a body trick, takes the ball into the box and scores to make it 3:0. His shot is deflected, but Vargas can still call himself a double goalscorer.
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28.
Luxembourg has arrived in the game
The visitors score again. Just outside the sixteen, a Luxembourger takes a shot but aims over the goal.
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24.
Mvogo with a strong save
After a free kick is taken to the middle, it becomes very dangerous. A Luxembourger is completely free to head the ball, but finds his master in Yvon Mvogo, who clears the ball for a corner with a strong save.
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19.
Corner for Luxembourg
The visitors are awarded their first corner. It is not dangerous.
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17.
Embolo's next goal does not count
Embolo scores again, but the goal does not count because Ndoye was offside.
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13.
Embolo takes the penalty and scores himself
Embolo is brought down in the penalty area and then grabs the ball. He keeps a cool head and pushes the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from his own position, with the goalkeeper diving into the wrong corner.
![Breel Embolo confidently converts the penalty.]()
Breel Embolo confidently converts the penalty. Screenshot: SRF -
9.
Vargas gives Switzerland the lead
Vargas gives Switzerland the lead with his 9th goal in national team kit, assisted by Miro Muheim. Nicely done, even if the Luxembourgers don't put up much resistance.
![Ruben Vargas makes it 1:0.]()
Ruben Vargas makes it 1:0. KEYSTONE -
6.
The Swiss let the ball and opponents run
There are no big excitements to marvel at yet. The Swiss let the ball circulate in their own ranks while the Luxembourgers park the bus.
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2.
First corner kick for Switzerland
Rodriguez plays a wonderful diagonal ball to Blondel, who takes the ball straight from the air from the right wing to the center. The Luxembourgers just manage to clear for a corner.
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1.
The game is underway
Switzerland kick off and let the ball move ...
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0.
Gartenmann, Blondel and Muheim in the starting eleven
National coach Murat Yakin changes the system in the second test match of the year and starts with a three-man defense. Stefan Gartenmann once again plays in central defense.
In addition to the Danish-Swiss dual national, Yakin will rely on Eray Cömert and Ricardo Rodriguez in defense. The day before, the national team coach had already announced that Miro Muheim (left) and Lucas Blondel (right) would be deployed in the wing-back positions. Yakin had also announced the change of goalkeeper from Gregor Kobel to Yvon Mvogo on Monday.
In midfield, Denis Zakaria has to make way for Djibril Sow, who returns to the starting eleven for the first time in a year and a half. Ruben Vargas, Sow's club colleague at Sevilla, is also in the starting line-up. In any case, the attack with Dan Ndoye and Breel Embolo in the center remains unchanged compared to the test against Northern Ireland. Andi Zeqiri, who had been earmarked as a striker, was forced to withdraw on Tuesday afternoon due to muscular problems.
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The line-up is here: This is how the Nati will play
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Memories of the embarrassing defeat in 2008
"Mmmh, they're sweet, real pick-me-ups, these Luxemburgerli. Really good to eat", Gökhan Inler trumpeted in "Blick" in September 2008 before the direct duel with the football dwarf in the World Cup qualifiers. The then national team captain even had himself photographed with the famous Luxemburgerli, his mouth wide open to rub.
But the picture became a symbol of embarrassment in the history of the national team. Because instead of the Luxemburgerli, Inler & Co. were themselves caught out in the World Cup qualifiers and sensationally lost 2:1 in the Letzigrund. Find out more here.
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These two players are possible captains against Luxembourg
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Mid fade, buzz cut or baby mullet? Nati stars in the hairstyle check
Our national team players are among the (hairstyle) role models for teenage boys. You can see fades, baby mullets, buzz cuts or ceasar cuts on virtually every corner. blue Sport checks the hairstyles of Embolo & Co. and tells you what they are called. To the article.
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Hello ...
... and welcome to the live ticker for the match between Switzerland and Luxembourg. Will Switzerland win again after eight games without a victory? The answer can be found here, kick-off in St.Gallen is at 20:45.
