"Children's football mistake": Zurich gambles away a 2-0 lead within ten minutes
The Swiss league has started the new season and offered a spectacular rollercoaster ride right from the start: FC Zurich gambled away a 2-0 lead in the final stages - and ended up empty-handed.
Disappointment at the start of the season: FC Zurich players after the final whistle. IMAGO/Mike Wiss
For a long time, the Zurich team thought they were on track at their home stadium in Letzigrund: Former Bundesliga pro Steven Zuber (129 Bundesliga appearances for Hoffenheim, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt) gave FC Zurich the lead in the 27th minute with a stunning long-range shot. The lead was not undeserved, as the Zurich team presented themselves confidently under new coach Mitchell van der Gaag , but struggled to create any real threat.
Sion, on the other hand, had a hard time, had no real answer to the hosts' game and conceded the next goal after a moment of inattention: Kreshnik Hajrizi lost the ball in the center, Umeh Emmanuel quickly passed it on to Damienus Reverson , who coolly made it 2-0 (55').
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It then looked like a comfortable opening win for Zurich. But that was far from the case, as events unfolded rapidly in the closing stages. In the 81st minute, new signing Rilind Nivokazi converted a cross from Ilyas Chouaref to make it 1-2. During this phase, the Valais team were in the better of the game, partly because they were showing increased combativeness – and the visitors were certainly not lacking in willpower either. Josias Lukembila finally rewarded Sion when he headed in another Chouaref cross from the right to make it 2-2 to much acclaim (87').
But that wasn't all. Then, a major misunderstanding occurred in the back line, with goalkeeper Yanick Brecher, who was on his way out, being seriously irritated by his 18-year-old teammate Neil Volken , ultimately leading to a loss of possession. This set the stage for Winsley Boteli 's 3-2 winner, who only had to slot it into the empty net (90'+1').
Crusher and tub fully servicedCaptain Brecher was completely fed up afterward and annoyed with the behavior of his teammates. "I clearly shouted that I'm coming out. Actually, the order for the defenders is that they have to move aside. But neither of them did," said the 32-year-old, grumbling: "That's a mistake that happens in children's soccer."
| stadium | Letzigrund |
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Zuber was also frustrated, saying of the scene that he simply couldn't understand "why we didn't just kick the ball away. Then it would have been a draw, which would have been okay."
