Ramona Bachmann celebrates her goal for Switzerland in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Photo credit: Olympics website (via getty).
The fourth game of the FIFA Women’s World Cup has resulted in Switzerland taking a 2-0 win over the Philippines in Ōtepoti Dunedin. There were multiple standouts from the Switzerland side with Crnogorčević and Reuteler having good performances.
The Switzerland side had good early ball, gaining a corner three minutes into the game. The Filipino keeper, Olivia-Davies McDaniel was able to clear it away for her side. The ball fell to Géraldine Reuteler who sent the shot over the bar. Not long following this early ball by the Switzerland, there was a lapse in concentration by
Ramona Bachmann who gave a yellow card after grabbing onto a Philippines’ player’s shirt. Chances kept on coming for the Switzerland side, with Reuteler getting another shot on goal but McDaniel was just able to grab hold of it and make sure it didn’t get past her.
McDaniel got the ball to one of her defenders who lobbed it over to Angela Beard who crossed it to Katrina Guillou and she sent the ball past the keeper. Just when it looked like the Philippines had scored their first ever goal in a Fifa Women’s World Cup, the referee put her flag up and signalled that Guillou was offside.
Chances kept coming for the Switzerland side, but they weren’t able to put anything in the back of the net. Reuteler kept pushing the Switz attack forward and she managed to get around a couple of Philippines defenders and took a shot on goal, but it was saved by McDaniel who was having a great game in goal. Along with Reuteler, both Bachmann and Ana-Maria Crnogorčević were going well for the Switz and working nicely together. Bachmann had an opportunity where she passed the ball to Crnogorčević who couldn’t get the shot away. Minutes later Crnogorčević gave a great cross to Piubel who broke away from her defender as the shot went over the goal.
The defence from the Philippines was helping to keep the ball out of the net and they were always managing to eventually clear it away. Coumba Sow was brought down by Cowart inside her own box and this resulted in the referee awarding a penalty to Switzerland. Bachmaan stepped up to take the penalty and sent it into the bottom left corner of the goal, giving Switzerland a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
Heading into the second half, both sides were looking good and some quality football was being displayed by both sides. The Swiss had the first real opportunity of the second half when Crnogorčević attacked well down the left line, and sent the ball across to Bachmann who ended up on the turf, but no penalty was given by the referee.
Like the first half the attackers and midfielders were having good chances created for them but they just weren’t able to get it all right when it came to trying to score. Piubel made a great run down the right edge and then passed the ball to Reuteler to cross into the box. The Philippines players got the ball from the cross and headed it over the backline.
As the half kept progressing there were no real major chances for either side. Reuteler sent a cross into the circle but the Philippines defenders got to it once again. Bachmann also had a chance to score not long after, but she sent her shot sailing past the right post.
The attack work by the Swiss was really showing that they were trying to push and find another goal for their country, which Piubel soon scored. Crnogorčević got onto the end of the ball in the box and took a shot that was saved, then there was a shot from Cow that was saved. Piubel quickly kicked the ball into the back of the net and gave Switzerland a 2-0 lead.
Not too many more chances came from either side in the second half with both teams showing good skill and possession work. As the clock kept winding down, the Philippines were still trying to find their opening goal which they weren’t able to. The final score ended in a 2-0 win to Switzerland.
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