A Rough Road to Euro: Swiss National Team Takes a Beating from FC Luzern's U15 Boys
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Underdog Lucerne U15 squad achieves surprise victory over the Swiss national team.
Get ready for some unexpected twists in the women's football scene! The Swiss national team is keeping things hush-hush as they gear up for the upcoming home Euro tournament. To kick off their preparations, they squared off against none other than the U15 boys of FC Luzern - and let's just say, the outcome was far from typical.
You heard that right! The Swiss women's team, boasting a formidable reputation, found themselves on the losing end of a match against a bunch of teenagers. In a secret test match before the Euro championship commences on July 2, the Swiss ladies took a humbling 1:7 defeat at the hands of the U15 boys from FC Luzern. The details of this unusual face-off made their way to the popular platform TikTok, with Alayah Pilgrim, scorer of the solitary Swiss goal, and Alisha Lehmann, boasting a massive following, featured in a now-deleted video.
Why did this happen? Well, it turns out these test matches aren't too unusual in the world of women's football. The Swiss Football Association confirmed this, explaining that playing against junior teams is often done to introduce a healthy level of competition, with a focus on physical challenges. In essence, these friendly matches simulate the intensity and physical demands of official matches. Regardless of the result, they're intended to help the team shape up for the big league.
The Swiss team obliged, participating in two other matches against youthful opponents. Their record shows a loss of 1:2 against the U15 team of FC Solothurn but a win of 2:1 against the U15 team of FC Biel. During their game against Luzern, played out in three 30-minute periods, Pilgrim managed to score the interim 1:3 goal. Coach Pia Sundhage, clearly not kicking back and relaxing, made numerous substitutions, fielding a total of 26 players.
So, how does this all fare for the upcoming home tournament from July 2 to 27? The Swiss team will square off against Norway, Iceland, and Finland in Group A, while the German women's team will face Denmark, Poland, and Sweden in Group C. Now that they've had a taste of a challenging underdog, it remains to be seen how the Swiss team will perform against their actual competitors!
Sources: ntv.de, ses/dpa
- Switzerland
- Football
- European Championships
Footnote:
While the press and public were left in the dark about the Swiss women's team's preparations, their secret test match against FC Luzern's U15 boys was a brutal yet valuable experience designed to push them to the limits in the lead-up to the UEFA Women's Euro 2025. Despite the younger players' physical prowess, quick reflexes, and intense training style, the Swiss women's team took this challenge in stride. Facing a strong team with a proven track record of nurturing footballing talent, the Swiss ladies knew they were up against a formidable adversary. Bearing the learnings from this match, the Swiss women's team sets its sights on the Euro tournament with renewed determination. With the upcoming event hosting some of the most experienced teams in Europe, the Swiss team is preparing to prove that they've got what it takes to shine on the international stage, no matter the opponents they face.
In the lead-up to the UEFA Women's Euro 2025, the Swiss women's team is incorporating unique strategies to prepare, including secret test matches against junior teams like FC Luzern's U15 boys. During European leagues, the Swiss team might also benefit from vocational training in community policy focused on sports, such as football, to enhance their physical and mental prowess in champions-league competitions.
