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GC Herren 1: Swiss Cup - Domination but No Win

A stronger, more physical training week for GC was exactly the response required after a narrow loss in Geneva last weekend. As ever the question would be if GC would take the training confidence onto the pitch?

The arrival of Basel on Saturday for the quarter final of the Swiss Cup was an opportunity to test this, before returning to the league against Lugano on Sunday. Traditionally a tight game against Basel, this one was no exception, with the opening exchanges well balanced, if anything GC gaining better results from their forays into the Basel circle. Two early GC short corners tested the goalkeeper with Roman and Fabio going close.

Against the run of play Basel took the lead late in the 1st Quarter via a well worked short corner - 0:1.

GC were quick to respond, and in fact went on to dominate play in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. But domination does not always lead to goals and so it was, that familiar failings i.e. actually putting the ball in the back of the net, continued to haunt GC well into the second half. Good work from Denies set up perhaps the best opportunity of the season - missed by Rick. Steiner and Ben continued to create openings but, disappointingly, no results.

Moving into the 4th quarter Basel were able to sneak a short corner goal, a great initial clearance by Roman was not backed-up and the second shot went in over the backboard, 0:2. No giving up now from GC, determination driving them forward to regain parity. Fabio forcing a one on one with the keeper, was cynically brought to ground - Penalty and Basel lucky not to lose their GK to a yellow card. Unfortunately the keeper pulled off a tremendous save to deny Roman and 0:2 it remained.

GC withdrew the goalkeeper Fabian and replaced him with the behemoth Fäbe as kicking-back. The highlight of his performance a one handed save from a Basel short corner - brave and committed and providing a stimulus for the rest of the team. GC fought on, throwing everything at Basel with a sequence of 5 corners in a row late one - still no results - until finally Robert delivered a testing ball into the circle which was emphatically slammed home by Ben.

With only one minute remaining that was the game. Too little too late from GC and the result 1-2 - Basel progress.

The outstanding GC support on the hill were influential throughout, but will agree that there are some clear lessons for Lugano - finish the opportunities and don't leave it so late to score.

MOM: Fäbe

GC Players:
Fabian (GK), Ben, Denes, Fabian St., Fabio, Jonas, Sven, Joel, Lukas, Moritz, Pommes, Rick, Robert, Roman, Fäbe, Hinrich

Goals: Ben Eddy

Coach: Frank Zenker