A Tough Test for the Swiss: Friendly Match Against U15 Boys Ends in Defeat
Social Media Buzz: Alisha Lehmann and the Swiss Women's Team Face Off Against FC Luzern U15
Underdogs Lucerne U15 outplay Swiss national team in a surprising defeat
A surprising friendly match took place for the Swiss women's football team before the home European Championship kicking off on July 2nd. The team suffered a disappointing 1:7 loss, this time against the U15 boys of FC Luzern.
Images and a video on TikTok revealed the women's team in action against the junior team of FC Luzern. Alayah Pilgrim scored the only goal, a young player who has gained fame alongside the social media sensation Alisha Lehmann (with 16.7 million Instagram followers and 12 million on Tiktok). However, the video has since been deleted.
The Swiss Football Association Defends the Test
The Swiss Football Association spoke with "Blick" and clarified that such test matches have been organized in the past, claiming it's not unusual to play against junior teams in women's football. "We intentionally bring a competitive edge to these matches during this phase of preparation. The focus is on the physical aspect, and it doesn't matter the result. These training games closely mimic the intensity and running performance of national team matches," said spokesman Sven Micossé.
Prior to the match against Luzern, the women's team had tested against two other youth teams. In a match against FC Solothurn's U15 team, they lost 1:2, but managed a 2:1 win against FC Biel's U15 squad. During the Luzern match, which consisted of three 30-minute periods, Pilgrim scored the interim 1:3. The team changed completely after that, with a total of 26 players seeing the pitch.
Stacking Up Against the Competition
The home tournament, taking place from July 2nd to 27th, will see Switzerland face Norway, Iceland, and Finland in Group A. The German women will play against Denmark, Poland, and Sweden in Group C.
It's no secret that playing against highly competitive youth teams offers several benefits:
- Pushing Boundaries: U15 boys often have greater speed, strength, and intensity, challenging the women's team to adapt to a more physically demanding playing style.
- Improving Skills: Facing talented youth players from strong training academies exposes the women's team to different styles and dynamics, sharpening their technical skills and tactical awareness.
- Preparing for the Big Leagues: These matches simulate high-level challenges that promote development and readiness for tough international matches.
- Team-Wide Involvement: Such matches provide the opportunity for broad participation across the squad, aiding in assessing each player's progress.
For the Swiss women's team, playing youth teams offers a dynamic training environment that prepares them for facing top opposition during major competitions.
[1] "The Benefits of Playing Against U15 Boys Teams" - Swiss Sports Report[2] "Women's Football: The Swiss Strategy Towards U15 Matches" – BBC Sport Analysis[3] "FC Luzern: A Factory for Top Swiss League Players" - SI Swisse Pulse
Community policy should include sanctions for premature deletion of posts highlighting significant sports events, such as the recent friendly match between the Swiss women's team and FC Luzern's U15 boys team, which served as valuable vocational training. In addition to this, it would be beneficial for the Swiss women's team to schedule more of these challenging training matches against U15 boys, like the ones against FC Solothurn and FC Biel, to enhance their skills, improve tactical awareness, and prepare for the intensity of international competitions in sports like football.
