BERLIN: Switzerland coach Murat Yakin was delighted with his team’s deserved 2-0 victory over reigning champions Italy at Euro 2024 on Saturday.
They reached the quarter-finals for the second time in their history with goals from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas capping an impressive performance in Berlin.
“There are only good teams at the Euros, we went undefeated in the group stage and played well, and the match against Germany showed that we can compete with teams like that “Yakin told reporters.
“We sent an important signal tonight with the game we played. We didn’t just pull together and defend as a unit and stay back, we showed that we can attack and dominate the game.”
Swiss fans celebrated with joy with the players their first victory against Italy since 1993.
“It really makes you shiver, it gives you goosebumps, it’s extremely gratifying,” Yakin continued.
“All this support shows that we are on the right track and we are doing things the right way, we have earned the right to be here but we are not done yet,” the 49-year-old said.
Vargas set up the first goal for Freuler and then scored a sumptuous second goal himself, having only been selected due to the suspension of Silvan Widmer, but he played on the opposite flank.
Yakin joked he would “take an aspirin” to solve any selection problems in the quarter-finals, against England or Slovakia.
Vargas said Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka told him to grab the second goal at half-time and he did so after just 27 seconds of the second half.
“Shortly before the start of the second half, Granit said to me ‘please, score a goal’,” said Augsburg winger Vargas, 25. -AFP
