Don’t dismiss Swiss after opening loss
Bad luck hindered Switzerland against Japan, but knockout round remains in their sights
The surprising Swiss might have lost the element of surprise. That’s what happens when you look as good as they did in their opening game, a 1-0 loss to defending Women’s World Cup champions Japan on Monday at B.C. Place.
But the 19th-ranked team in this tournament will maintain its underdog mentality.
“I don’t think anyone expects anything of us,” said Daniela Schwarz, a 29-year-old defender who played college and semi-pro soccer in the U.S. and Canada almost a decade ago.
“The first goal is to reach the last 16 and then we’d like to surprise. We’re open to everything. To go as far as possible.”
Should Canada slip up in its bid to top Group A, the hosts could well face Switzerland in the round of 16.
The second-place teams in Group A and Group C will square off in the next stage. And with Monday’s win, Japan is now heavily favoured to top Group C, leaving Switzerland and Cameroon — another pleasant surprise here — to battle it out for second.
Not that anyone on this Swiss team is thinking that far ahead.
There’s a game against Ecuador on Friday (4 p.m., B.C. Place), and despite Ecuador’s 6-0 loss to Cameroon in their opener, Schwarz said the team remains focused.
“Cameroon will come soon enough,” she said.
The Swiss had the afternoon off after Wednesday’s lighthearted practice at Empire Field. They were headed for a hang out in Stanley Park. They’ve already been for a visit to the Swiss consulate downtown.
“It’s great,” Schwarz said of being stationed here for the opening games.
“Vancouver’s beautiful and the people are nice and the weather is perfect.”
She first came to Canada in 2007, when she played for the Toronto Lady Lynx in the W-League.
That was after a two-year stint at Lindsey Wilson College, a school of around 2,500 undergrads in Columbia, Ky., that competes in the NAIA.
They won the NAIA championship in 2006, back when Schwarz was an attacking force. She had 18 goals and 13 assists across two seasons.
Her Swiss teammate, Lara Dickenmann, had played for Ohio State and Schwarz had asked her about U.S. colleges. Dickenmann had a contact in Kentucky.
“That was the only one (contact) I had, so I ended up going there,” said Schwarz, who is a depth player for Switzerland.
“It was the perfect decision. It was a small school, but I loved it. The NAIA is competitive — the top teams. Maybe not 100 teams, but the top 20.”
Switzerland’s emerged as one of the new competitive teams at this Women’s World Cup, which is their first.
They were hard done by in their opener, losing on a poor penalty call against Japan.
But that’s behind them, said Schwarz, who grew up outside Zurich and has 23 caps for her country.
“Of course, we’re disappointed after the game, but you have to focus. We still have every possibility to make the round of 16,” she said.
As for showing the world the kind of quality they possess, led by the dazzling Ramona Bachmann, Schwarz said: “We were proud to have performed so well. We know if we continue like that the results will come.”
Schwarz is a good example of where the women’s game is at professionally.
She’s played for the past three years in Norway — most recently for Vålerenga — where she also works parttime in the automation industry, building electrical cabinets. She said she enjoys the balance. When she’s done playing, she plans on becoming a police officer.
It’s been her dream since she was a kid.
For the next few weeks, though, only one dream matters.
There’s a long way to go, but best not to ignore these debutantes.