Belarus – Switzerland: Next Swiss goal – Xhaka scores to 4:0

As soon as he is in, the ball is already in. 5: 0 by Zeki Amdouni, who is in great shape at FC Basel anyway. Equally beautiful: the opening pass from Xhaka.

What a pain such games can sometimes be. For those directly involved as well as for passive spectators. But today we can praise the Swiss times. That’s more than solid Büez that they deliver there. Superior in every respect – and despite a solid lead, still trying to score a few more goals.

Granit Xhaka hits with his left hand from long range. Last goal November 2019. And we realize: games against Belarus also have their good side. 4-0 for Switzerland.

Cedric Itten and Renato Steffen go out. Zeki Amdouni and Noah Okafor come in for them. So we know: Seppe Hügi’s goal record in the Swiss national team will remain. Thanks to everyone from Basel!

Does Yann Sommer’s jersey have to be washed after all? Substitute Bakhar shoots from 16 yards out as Rodriguez politely keeps his distance, but Sommer catches the ball easily.

Well, one could imagine getting through a game like that without a warning. On the other hand, Granit Xhaka’s commitment may also show that he takes this very seriously. Yellow for a foul.

Among the Belarusians, Yablonski and Kovalev have been redeemed. For them, Klimovich and Bakhar have to go on the field.

I hope you got your pretzel sticks replenished, or discovered a few more surprising wasabi nut reservoirs. It continues here: 45 minutes left against Belarus. And who knows? Maybe Renato Steffen will attack the seemingly eternal record of Josef “Seppe” Hügi. The Basler Goldfiessli scored five goals for Switzerland in a friendly against France in 1960.

Break in Novi Sad. And without wanting to appear arrogant: This game could actually be completely whistled off. Barring another apparition of Mary, a meteorite impact or the reunion of the original Beatles turning the world upside down, Switzerland will win this game.

Belarus have had nothing to offer here so far – with the exception of hitting the crossbar in the 2nd minute. And even if that ball went in, the Belarusians would hardly have the quality to resist these Swiss, who are two notches better than their opponents.

The statistics show that too: The Swiss have 69 percent possession of the ball, 91 percent of their 347 passes were successful (Belarus 64 percent of 118), they launched 29 attacks (Belarus: 12).

So referee Alejandro Hernández may read the rules of the hand again. Not every ball that flies into a hand has to be penalized with a yellow card. Nevertheless, the Spaniard cautioned a footballer for the second time today who was shot down from just a few meters away. Now it hits the Swiss Cedric Itten. The free kick for Belarus flies well over the Swiss goal.

Meanwhile, Eli Dasa gave Kosovo a 1-0 lead in Israel.

At the moment I’m just wondering whether the Belarusians want to reenact the depressing political situation at home here on the football field?

It doesn’t matter whether they are 0:1, 0:2 or 0:3 behind: The players are deep behind in their 4-5-1. The “striker” is maybe 30 meters in front of his own goal, the rest stays even lower. But that doesn’t mean they get into duels for a long time. They just stand there and wait for the next goal. Cool.

Right-back Yuzepchuk out, Bykov in. Belarus’ coach seems to have identified a need for action.

And the measure is already having its first consequences: for the first time, Switzerland is not flanking from the left, but from the right.

So far, the Swiss game structure has been like a party congress of the SP: the left-wing positions dominate.

At 3: 0 it is left-back Ricardo Rodriguez who hangs up for Steffen.

We’ve just calculated, and he scores again: hat-trick for Renato Steffen! We bow.

While Granit Xhaka hits a defenseless Belarusian with a free kick in the thigh, Nicolas has the following statement: Up to this game, Renato Steffen has played 1152 minutes in the national jersey and scored one goal. Today he does two in 17 minutes.

Very nice single action by Ruben Vargas. He dribbles his way to the left (where else) into the penalty area and then snips the ball with his inside instep in the direction of the far corner of the goal. A slight ticking indicates: This shot has still caressed the post.

The Swiss game currently looks like this: Actually every attack goes over the left. And in the end it’s the right wing Steffen who pulls into the center and scores. This division of labor should more or less suit everyone. Except for the Belarusians, of course.

It’s insanely easy. The Swiss play back and forth on the left – and the Belarusians seem to be spellbound. In the end, Granit Xhaka is on the baseline (left, of course). Xhaka’s low cross is high-fived by the goalie to Renato Steffen – and he scores his second goal.

Also striking: Remo Freuler also follows Murat Yakin’s instructions. He, who is usually more at home in defensive midfield, can always be found in and around the opposing penalty area.