Only a footballing miracle separates Switzerland from a seventh consecutive appearance in the finals. But Murat Yakin is not yet accepting any congratulations.
The Nati are likely to lose 5-0 in Pristina on Tuesday - and would still have their World Cup ticket in the bag. After another strong performance against Sweden, it is certainly not to be expected that Switzerland will go down like this.
Accordingly, Xhaka, Ndoye and Co. celebrated exuberantly with the fans after the final whistle, as if their flight to North America had already been booked. "It's simply a pleasure to watch this team. The harmony in the team is fantastic. We are enjoying the moment today," said Murat Yakin after the convincing 4:1 victory.
However, the national team coach also raised a warning finger and refused to accept any congratulations just yet: "It's a shame that it's not 100 percent fixed yet. But that's the way it is, it's only settled at the end and we still have one more game to play. Against a team that has surprised us. It will certainly be a hard-fought game in Kosovo."
Defense as the key to success
Anything is possible in football, which is why Yakin expects a concentrated performance from his players on Tuesday. "There will certainly be provocations, but we are clever enough to deal with them. We'll try to win and play our game. Then we won't concede five or six goals."
The defense is also the key to success in this World Cup qualifier. Even on the trip to the USA before the qualifiers, the focus was on the defense. "We worked hard on how we play against the ball. We saw that again today," said Yakin. "The team is determined to get to this tournament. And it can withstand the pressure, even if the expectations are huge. That's very pleasing."
