Swiss setting new goals

Home advantage is a given in football - except in the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship. Since the switch from an U18 competition in 2001/02 the hosts have not once advanced beyond the group stage, Sweden, Germany, Finland and Hungary all finishing bottom of their respective pools. In that context, then, Switzerland's third place in Group B in this year's finals, while a disappointment for them, is at least an improvement.

Highs...
Of course, having finished fifth last season, coach Claudio Taddei had targeted a semi-final place in Switzerland's fourth participation in the latter stages of the tournament. Things looked good when they defeated the Netherlands 2-0, and they then took a first-minute lead against Russia, who were still reeling from losing 4-1 to France. Switzerland still were ahead at half-time, but that was as good at it got for the hosts.

...and lows
Within 14 minutes of the second half Elena Danilova had struck twice for the holders, and the 2-1 defeat left Switzerland needing to beat France yesterday. Although the game was close, and the Swiss had their chances, two late goals meant a 3-0 loss and elimination. Unsurprisingly Taddei identifies the Russia defeat as the key game, since there was little to choose between the hosts and the holders, but in the early part of the second half Switzerland found themselves unable to cope with the athletic Elena Morozova and Danilova.

Ambition needed
"I hope my players have learned that you have to prepare correctly for this kind of event," Taddei said. "Physically, some of them were at 70 per cent and you have to be at 100 per cent. A change must happen in their heads also, to be able to prepare and focus more professionally. It's a state of mind. Some of them were already happy to be in the Swiss team, to be here. This can not be their goal. Once they are in, they have to focus on their next goal."

World Cup
For much of the squad, that means looking to reap the reward of their fifth place last season, which gave them a passport to Russia next month. "Now we will prepare for the [FIFA] U-20 Women's World Cup," Taddei said. "Fourteen to 15 of these players will be there, and I hope they will have learned from this experience." Switzerland are in Group C with Mexico, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and holders Germany, who defeated them 5-2 in last year's U19 finals. Among those 14-15 likely to make the trip with the U20 team are impressive defender Caroline Abbé, midfielder and set-piece specialist Simone Zahno and goalkeeper Stenia Michel.

Football school
Still, however they did here or will do in Russia, that Swiss women's teams are playing in final tournaments at all is impressive. Their seniors are bottom of their FIFA Women's World Cup group and picked up only five points in UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™ qualifying; with a football school for promising boys and girls to study and train, an improvement can be detected. U19 captain Zahno told uefa.com: "In the coming years Swiss women's football will rise to the top."