Switzerland secured a late win against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but coach Murat Jakin admitted they used a hydration break to thwart their World Cup opponents.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin admits the tactical use of the hydration break was a pre-determined plan.
Switzerland coach Murat Yakin admitted that he used the second half’s hydration break to time his substitutions because “then the opponents wouldn’t be able to react.”
The Swiss international scored four goals in the final 16 minutes, all of which came after the second hydration break of the match. Three substitutions helped the match turn in their favor and they ended up recording a comprehensive 4-1 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Johan Manzambi and Ruben Vargas both came off the bench, with the former scoring two goals and the latter scoring one and providing an assist. Yakin admitted that the suspension imposed by FIFA was always on his mind as he tried to change the course of the match.
He said, “It was very important to change some things after the second hydration break, because then the opponent can’t react right away.”
“Maybe that was our strength. We put in some really fast guys, but they couldn’t run (with us) and we had a gap on the edge. That was my strategy: I waited until the break.”
Supporters inside the stadium began booing during the hydration break, making it a hot topic of conversation. They effectively turned the match into quarters instead of halves, making it more suited to the American sport and its commercial market.
Still, it worked in Switzerland’s favor in this match, with goalscorer Manzambi saying: “This is probably the best moment of my career so far. We knew that the way we entered the game wasn’t the best, but we had to be patient. We know we’re a good team and we showed it.”
Johan Manzambi came on from the bench and contributed to Switzerland’s victory.
Switzerland suffered a disappointing 1-1 draw at the World Cup with Qatar last week, but their win over their European opponents puts them in a great position to qualify for the knockout stages, with them likely to be one of the top two teams in their group.
Gary Neville warned that hydration breaks were being used for other measures. “I think FIFA needs to act very quickly now,” he said. “For drinks breaks, I think the following elements will be needed: Coaches have to stay on the bench. Tactical boards cannot be taken out. I think in one game there was actually a screen showing the set-pieces; that’s when the tactical board was installed.”
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