Swiss disappoint as they struggle for form

Keystone

The Swiss national football team have ended their training camp in Florida with a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Colombia in a friendly game in Miami.

It was the fourth defeat in five friendly games as the Swiss try to find form for the Euro 2008 championships, being co-hosted by Switzerland and neighbour Austria.

Playing only their second match under new captain Alex Frei, who was substituted in the 65th minute, the Swiss were dominated throughout by their South American rivals, who are preparing for the Copa America in Venezuela starting in June.

Striker Edixon Perea put Colombia ahead in the fifth minute with a neat finish that drew cheers from the stands in Miami’s largely empty Orange Bowl stadium.

A penalty by Frei in the 37th minute was saved by Miguel Calero, but the Colombian keeper was shown the yellow card for moving early and Frei equalised with his second attempt.

Viafara restored Colombia’s lead in the 56th minute and was also provided the pass in the 85th when forward Andres Chitiva sealed the victory with an effortless finish.

In a previous friendly in Florida on Thursday last week, Switzerland defeated Jamaica 2-0.

Missing spark

“The spark was missing,” said midfield player Ricardo Cabanas, who admitted that the Swiss were caught off guard by Colombia’s aggressiveness.

Swiss trainer Köbi Kuhn, who dropped captain Johann Vogel from the team earlier this month citing differences of opinion both on an off the field, said the matches in Florida had been a test.

“Colombia is a very good team who were more aggressive than us. The two goals we suffered, one at the beginning of each half, hurt us. We have to work and start again.

“We must be at the summit [of our form] in June, 2008 and at the moment it is true that we are not there.”

Doubts

Much of Monday’s Swiss press was unhappy with the result, arguing that the team’s performance left many doubts.

Le Temps of Geneva commented that the defeat “reassured no one” and the display in the Orange Bowl – the “temple of American football” – would have convinced no one to convert to soccer.

The tabloid Blick said that there had been a new team spirit but the dropping of Vogel was not enough. The team needed a manager.

It also asked how long the Swiss Football Association would stick behind Kuhn, who had become “lonely” in his job.

Bern’s Der Bund newspaper commented that Sunday’s game had raised more questions than it had given answers.

“After the fourth defeat in five games, the unrest surrounding the Swiss national team is clearly perceptible.”

Zurich’s Tages-Anzeiger offers some advice to Kuhn, who was named Swiss personality of the year in December.

“He would be well advised to draw the right conclusions today rather than tomorrow after this upset. The next two opponents are difficult – Argentina and the Netherlands.”

swissinfo

Key facts

Switzerland have lost four out eight friendly matches in the wake of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

They lost to Brazil (1-2), Germany (1-3), Austria (1-2) and Colombia (1-3).

They won games against Jamaica (2-0), Liechtenstein (3-0), Costa Rica (2-0) and Venezuela (1-0).

Switzerland have automatically qualified for the 2008 European Championships as they co-host the event with neighbouring Austria.

The next national team matches are against Argentina in Basel on June 2 and against the Netherlands on August 22 in Geneva.

Later, Switzerland take part in a four-nation tournament, with games against Chile (September 7), Japan (September 11) and Austria (October 13 in Zurich).

In brief

Alex Frei was named captain of the national side for the two games in the US.

He took over from Johann Vogel who was axed from the team by Kuhn earlier this month “because the chemistry was no longer right, both on and off the pitch”.

Frei, who plays with German side Borussia Dortmund, scored his 32nd goal for the national team against Colombia and is now two short of the record held by Kubilay Türkyilmaz.