In the game for fifth place between Slovakia and Switzerland, The Swiss quickly took control of the ball possession. They played mostly on their attacking side looking for a first goal. Though, in the fifth minute, Slovakia won the ball with high pressure on their attacking side and managed to take the lead, 1-0 Slovakia. Soon after the Slovaks had an opportunity to extend their lead on a penalty, but the Swiss goalkeeper stood for a great save and the score remained for the moment. The game looked to slow down a bit for a while but eventually Switzerland managed to even out the score. With the momentum from Switzerland’s goal, they pushed through and a few minutes later, they scored again to take the lead. Just before the end of the first period Slovakia evened out the score once again. The referees chose to look and an instant replay to confirm the goal, which they then did. The first period in the fight for fifth place ended with the result 2-2.
The second period turned out, for both teams, to be a careful yet intensive balance between wanting to take the lead and not allowing the opponent to score. Both the Swiss and the Slovaks tried to make sure that when they won the ball, they kept it, so a more strategical and methodical gameplay developed with quite few goalscoring opportunities. Towards the second half of the period, both teams showed great technical skills and a more aggressive playingstyle. In the 34th minute Slovakias number 4, Michal Dudovic, put the ball behind the swiss goalkeeper through a volley to put Slovakia in the lead. The Swiss players had no plans on giving up and just before the end of the period number 61, Jan Zaugg, evened out the score. A period that left no one bored.
In the last period Switzerland began by testing the Slovakian goalkeeper multiple times with tough shots, but he managed to keep the ball out of the goal with some great saves. Slovakia managed to fight their way back and created som good chances themselves but had a hard time finding the goal. It turnedout to be a thrilling game that intesified the closer it got to the end. A tough battle between two teams with a strong will to secure fifth place. Eventually Switzerland score three more goals in the second half of the last period and comes out on top to secure the fifth place.
-I think first and last period were quite okay, but the atmosphere helped us in the end to win the last game, Said Switzerlands Jan Zaugg after the game.
