Despite the fact it was an away game, the team was able to get more rest than before the game against Lausanne on the Saturday thanks to a delightfully late start time in Wettingen. The journey to Wettingen was standard – everyone ensured that they adequately hydrated and ate breakfast items worthy of sportsmen. Coach Pierre Coppin took advantage of the time to circulate the team to go over tactics and positioning, and to rectify some issues that had become apparent during the game against Lausanne.

The club in Wettingen was unusually quiet, certainly compared to the atmosphere of the final of the Championship there at the end of last season. Servette carried out their normal pre-match preparations with briefings and a warm-up in the streets of beautiful Wettingen before taking to the pitch. On there, everything seemed to be in order – shots were on target, the possession game kept its intensity and the corners were being pushed out quick. The team came out the dressing room ready to get the job done at the start of the match.

However, all was not well. It was as if Servette, although the team had recognized that the adversary should not be underestimated, had assumed that HC Wettingen would not be able to run or not be able to tackle or be unwilling to want the ball as much as they did. At the end of the day both teams can only put 11 men on the pitch and Servette was facing with a team that equally wanted a ticket to the finals weekend.

The result was an uncomfortable start to the game with many turnovers, passes going away, which allowed Wettingen to enter Poc’s circle several times. The culmination of one of the few forays forward by Wettingen was a penalty flick which was put away even though Poc went the right way. Once again, Servette had conceded first.

Servette entered the Wettingen circle around 16 times but to no avail – no short corners, no real shots on target. The last passes were not quite finding the man and players were dribbling into the flat sticks of the Wettingen defenders. At half time, the team was disturbed and clearly annoyed that they had once again put in a dismal first half and tasked themselves with coming back in the second.

Following a wake-up call by Coach Pierre Coppin and Captain Neri in the dressing room, Servette were ready to demonstrate that they were indeed the current holders of the Coupe Suisse and to give Wettingen a taste of LNA-level hockey.

The second half was night and day from the first half. Although the scoreboard remained the same as it had at the break for awhile longer, Servette had increased possession, passes were flat, hard and finding the man, and the channels that our tactics are supposed to open up, OPENED UP! Servette had many chances to score (at least 20 shots in the second half) but the Wettingen keeper was on form or the shots blazed wide. It should be noted that given the amount of time and effort spent on shooting at training it was depressing that more of these shots did not blow out the back of the net.

Finally, Matt opened the scoring for Servette with an individual feat of strength at the top of the circle. After patient possession, the ball came forward to Matt who held off several defenders and accepted several bad tackles before firing the ball low into the goal. The yell from Matt following this goal signified the beginning of the end for Wettingen.

Servette had now established complete control of possession. Concentration levels were up and the fitness factor, that so often gives Servette a comparative advantage, kicked in. Once again it was Loïc in the right place at the second post to give Servette their second and third goals. It should be noted that his first of the day was volleyed in at waist height! Loïc continues to be on scoring form.

The last ten minutes of the game for Servette were a pleasure. Everyone had a burst of energy and the ball was able to circulate the team due to sure passes and hard leads. Perhaps the team could have put away a few more goals in this spell, but it was Wanja who had the opportunity at the second post to put in the fourth and final Servette goal for the day. Final score was HC Wettingen 1 – Servette HC 4.

Having gone behind first in two games on the weekend yet still winning, the win was accompanied by a bit of unease. Nonetheless, aspects of the second half against Wettingen showed that the team was capable of being technically strong, tactically organized and physically fit. Servette will take this forward into training before the coming games against HC Olten and Luzerner SC.

However, one thing is for sure, playing 35 minutes of hockey is not acceptable.

Stewart Inglis