The women’s U18 national team secured 7th place at the European Championships in Glasgow, successfully confirming their place in the B division. In a week that exemplified the unpredictability of international tournaments, the team showed both impressive fighting spirit and painful learning moments.
Class retention achieved – Swiss U18 women secure place in B-Division at the European Championships in Glasgow
A prelude with a bitter ending
The first group game against Wales already showed the typical European Championship picture: anything is possible. The Swiss controlled the game for long stretches and took a deserved 1:0 lead. Despite numerous penalty corners from their opponents, they initially held out, but failed to extend their lead with two top-class chances. The final blow came 90 seconds before the final whistle: an unfortunate goal conceded sealed the 1:1.
Déjà-vu gegen Tschechien
A similar scenario in the second game against the Czech Republic: A solid start was abruptly broken by a counterattack after a penalty corner. “We lost out in many small duels – as a result, we conceded a goal that was not in line with the course of the game,” said Head Coach Mathias Schaeben. Nevertheless, the team fought back, created chances and deservedly drew 1:1. But luck was not on Switzerland’s side here either – in the last minute of the game, the bitter 1:2 was scored. Instead of four points, the Swiss team only had one after two games.
Great Fight against the group favorite
Scotland were the favorites in the final group match. Switzerland got off to a brave start, making pinpricks and even taking the lead. However, the Scots’ reaction was not long in coming. They turned the game around in the second quarter and showed their class. In the end, the result was 1:4 – a deserved defeat despite a high level of commitment and fast-paced play.
Relegation battle with highs and lows
In the relegation round, two wins were needed to stay in the top flight. The team got off to a dominant start against Turkey and took a 1:0 lead. However, the weaknesses in the corner defense became clear once again – two set pieces led to goals being conceded, while no further goals were scored despite numerous chances. Luck was also not on the Swiss side when it came to refereeing decisions. The 1:2 meant the final match against Lithuania.Final against Lithuania:
Decision in the third quarter
The Swiss team then showed nerves of steel in the all-important match against Lithuania. Although the pressure was palpable and the game was tough, Switzerland kept calm in their own game. The redemptive 1:0 was scored shortly before the end of the third quarter. After that, the team played with more confidence, increased the score to 2:0 and ultimately secured a 3:1 victory.
Realistic assessment after an intensive European Championship week Head Coach Mathias Schaeben drew a clear conclusion:
“European Championships are brutal – every opportunity and every mistake can be decisive early on. You saw that very clearly in our games. We escaped relegation this year, but in terms of play we could have reached the semi-finals.”
On his own performance, he said: “We got too many penalty corners against us, whether justified or not. We were then too susceptible to the opponents’ penalty corners. At the same time, we didn’t take our own chances to achieve a positive result. In the end, we have to admit that we weren’t able to convert our potential into a successful European Championship for us.”
Despite all the challenges, there is a conciliatory conclusion at the end of the day: relegation has been secured and the female U18 national team will also compete in the B division in the summer of 2027. Six players from this team have already been able to get a taste of the U18 European Championship and gain experience. Over the next two years, a new team will be formed, which will have its first touchstone next year with the U16 Hockey5s European Championships in Alanya.