Die Schweiz qualifizierte sich am Sonntagabend für die Fussball-WM im kommenden Sommer in Russland. Drei Tage nach dem 1:0 in Nordirland reichte ein torloses Remis im Barrage-Rückspiel in Basel.
Nach dem Hinspiel hätten die letzten 90 Minuten der Qualifikation in Basel zu einer reinen Formsache werden können. Das Spiel fand auf einem durchnässten Rasen statt, der Ball lief schlecht. Und weil die Schweizer ihre Torchancen nicht nutzten und nach dem Seitenwechsel stark nachliessen, mussten sie bis zum Schluss um die WM-Teilnahme bangen. In der 91. Minute rettete Ricardo Rodriguez auf der Torlinie und verhinderte so die Verlängerung. Die Gruppengegner für die Fussball-Weltmeisterschaft werden der Schweiz am 1. Dezember in Moskau zugelost.
«Ganz ehrlich, am Ende interessiert es niemanden, wie dieses Spiel gegen Nordirland war», sagt Mittelfeldspieler Granit Xhaxa. «Wir haben das WM-Ticket, das ist es, was zählt.» Der 25-Jährige blickt auf sein T-Shirt, auf dem unter einem Bild des Kremls in kyrillischer Schrift steht: Schweiz!
Text: sda / SWI
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