This time it really hurts

The Swiss lead 1-0 and dominate the game. Then they let up, lose control, and have to accept the equalizer. For the second time in a row, the same script played out: in the friendly against Australia and in the World Cup opener against Qatar.

Yet Granit Xhaka tried to shake up his teammates between matches, even painting a horror scenario of an early tournament exit after three group stage games. After the Qatar match, however, the captain must realize: His words didn’t get through to his teammates.

Has Xhaka used the “I’m banging my fist on the table” routine too often? Or did the Swiss think that the necessary intensity would come automatically at the start of the tournament? Was it simply a slip-up, the kind that happens time and again in sports? Or is the problem deeper than that? These are questions the team as a whole must now grapple with.

Suddenly lost their heads

No one would dispute that the quality is fundamentally there in the team. The Qataris were clearly outclassed overall, as coach Julen Lopetegui also acknowledged. “Switzerland has a strong team with numerous players from the top five European leagues. Of course, we had little choice but to defend and hope for our chance.”

It was important not to lose our heads after falling behind, the Spaniard explained. By weathering this delicate phase, his team gained a little more confidence with every passing minute, while on the other side, a lack of efficiency led to growing frustration.

And so, in the end, one of soccer’s most famous sayings had to serve as the analysis: If you don’t score up front, you’ll concede at the back.

Confusion and self-criticism

While the Swiss defense wasn’t always rock-solid, the problem lay primarily in the offense. Or as Akanji put it succinctly: “Yes, we could concede two or three goals, but we’d have to score eight in return.” That applied, however, mainly to the first half.

No one could really explain why the performance was generally worse in the second half and why chances became fewer. “I can’t tell you, I don’t know either,” said Ricardo Rodriguez in the interview zone. The heat wasn’t a factor either, explained Akanji. “I talked to a lot of my teammates about it, and actually everyone felt good. I found the game against Australia much more exhausting.”

So it was Granit Xhaka again who spoke out clearly. Discipline on the field was lacking, said the 33-year-old playmaker, who also spoke of a reality check for the team. “The result might actually be good for us. It shows us where we stand. And it also shows us that we need to do more.” Xhaka didn’t go into further detail.

A delicate situation

The match also showed just how close emotions can be in sports. Had the score remained 1-0, people would have called it a solid start—with a few flaws, sure, but dominant overall. Instead, the tabloids are now conjuring up the “Qatar-strrophe.” The truth, as is usually the case, lies somewhere in between.

The Swiss players have to take the blame for not really heeding the first wake-up call. But the 1-1 draw against Australia didn’t really hurt them either; after all, there was nothing at stake in that match. The 1-1 draw against Qatar, on the other hand, hurts all the more. The three points against the supposedly weakest opponent in the group were clearly expected.

Now the Swiss national team heads into its next match against Bosnia-Herzegovina with no cushion. And if they fail to secure a win there as well, they’ll face a do-or-die match against co-host Canada—in a stadium packed with home fans.

To prevent this, a response is needed on Thursday. And one that lasts the full 90 minutes.