Marwin Hitz keeps a clean sheet for 77 minutes against FC Luzern. Then a set-piece situation proved to be FCB's undoing, and the goalkeeper didn't look good either. Expert Pascal Zuberbühler analyzes the scene.
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- FC Basel lose 1-0 away to in-form FC Luzern and remain without a win in the Super League for the third game in a row.
- In Lucerne, a set-piece decides the game. Goalkeeper Marwin Hitz cannot be absolved of all blame, as both Hitz himself and pundit Pascal Zuberbühler confirm.
- However, Zubi also criticized the defensive work of Hitz's front men in the Super League studio.
FC Basel were beaten 1-0 in Lucerne on Sunday and remain winless for the third Super League game in a row. As in the classic against FCZ, the Bebbi remain without a goal of their own. And yet they came close to gaining a point in central Switzerland.
FCB goalkeeper Marwin Hitz also kept a clean sheet for a long time and saved his team from going behind until the final stages - for example with a fine save in the 28th minute.
Hitz: "I don't know where the rest of the defense was"
But then came the 78th minute. After a corner kick from Lucerne's Donat Rrudhani, Hitz takes a few steps out of his goal, but underhits the cross. Instead, the lively Luca Jaquez gets to the header and has no trouble putting FCL ahead.
"I think it was the 12th set piece. I tried to take a bit more risk and come out on top. But it wasn't enough," explained Marwin Hitz in an interview with blue Sport after the final whistle and wondered: "I don't know where the rest of the defense was. I don't look ideal because I take the step out. But even if I stay in goal, it's still going to work in this situation."
Former national team goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbühler agrees in the studio. "He analyzed it correctly, I don't have to explain it to him," said the blue Sport expert. Hitz cannot be absolved of any blame: "He took a step out and doesn't look good. He was so good in the game, but he's involved here."
Zubi favors the man-to-man defense
At the same time, Zubi makes it clear that the defensive work of Hitz's front men leaves a lot to be desired. "FC Basel have six players in zone cover. In this situation, when you know that Jaquez has good jumping power, I prefer to have man-to-man cover with the good players," says the 53-year-old.
But because Basel rely on zone coverage, FCL goalscorer Jaquez has too much space. "He can run two meters and go in with momentum - how do you want to defend that?" asks Zubi, adding: "That's why I have a negative attitude towards this zone cover."
