Switzerland beats Malta 4-1 in Women's World Cup qualifiers

The Switzerland women's national team fulfilled their duty in an away fixture against Malta, winning 4-1 in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers. The match at the Ta' Qali stadium was dominated by the visitors from the start, but the style of victory left Swiss experts with a sense of disappointment. The SRF News service described the triumph as "too meager," pointing out that a team of this caliber was expected to be more dominant against a much lower-ranked opponent. The portal watson.ch echoed this opinion, writing about a win "without a spark," lacking fluidity in play and finishing in front of goal. Goals for Switzerland were scored by Alisha Lehmann, Ramona Bachmann, Geraldine Reuteler, and Seraina Friedli, ensuring a safe points cushion.Qualification for the Women's World Cup in the UEFA zone is characterized by a high degree of difficulty, as only the group winners are guaranteed direct qualification for the final tournament. Switzerland, which regularly aspires to play in major tournaments, must contend with growing competition from nations like Portugal and Italy, meaning every dropped point or weaker goal difference could prove decisive in the final reckoning. Analyzing the course of the match, media such as Le Temps and RTS noted that while Switzerland controlled the game and won easily, the defense conceded one goal, which should not have happened given their significant technical superiority. Before the match, the newspaper 20 Minuten warned against underestimating the opponent, pointing to the dangers of playing in Malta. The team had to cope without their key striker, Ana-Maria Crnogorčević, whose absence due to injury was noticeable in the finishing of attacking moves. Coach Inka Grings now faces the challenge of improving the quality of play ahead of decisive clashes with the group leaders, which will determine their qualification fate. This victory allows Switzerland to maintain third place in Group 4, just behind Portugal and Italy. The situation in the group remains tense, and the margin for error for the Swiss women has practically vanished. The upcoming return matches will require much greater concentration and precision from the team if they want to avoid a complicated playoff path. Despite adding three points to their tally, pressure on the coaching staff is growing, and fans expect performances commensurate with the potential of players who feature in Europe's top leagues.