Switzerland — Algeria

BC Place, Vancouver. Umjikelezo wama-32. I-Switzerland — i-Algeria, 2:0. Umphumela ubonakala uqinisekisa, kodwa nansi into yokuqala ephikisana nayo kulobubusuku: i-Algeria yayinebhola isikhathi esiningi kuwo wonke umzuliswano wokuqala — ama-59 uma kuqhathaniswa nama-41 amaphesenti — futhi yaqeda umdlalo ngokunemba kokudlula okungama-85%. Izinombolo ezinhle. Kodwa-ke, i-xG ikhuluma iqiniso elinzima: i-Switzerland — 2.52, i-Algeria — 0.73. Lokhu akuyona inqoba engahleliwe. Lokhu kuyisifo. I-Switzerland yashaya ngokushesha nangokunemba okuhle. Ngomzuzu weshumi, u-Breel Embolo wavula inethi — futhi umdlalo wahamba ngokushesha ngendlela ye-Switzerland. U-Embolo ungamandla nokuqondile okukodwa, akadlali ukucasha nabavikeli, umane ucindezela. Ama-Swiss ashintsha kahle: anika i-Algeria ibhola, azihlala phansi ebhlokini futhi alinda isikhathi sokuhlasela. Le ndlela iyasebenza, kodwa nayo yayinezinkinga: elinye ithuba elikhulu kwamabili alizange lisetshenziswe, futhi ngesikhathi esithile lokhu kungabiza kakhulu. Inkanyezi yobusuku kwaba u-Johan Manzambi — isilinganiso esingu-8.19, ongcono kakhulu enkundleni. Omncane, oqhuma, wayehlala ethola indawo ngemuva kwabavikeli base-Algeria. Kulezi ziqephu lapho konke okubukhali kakhulu kwe-Switzerland kwazalwa khona. U-Dan Ndoye wengeza igoli lesibili ngokushesha ngomzuzwana wokuqala wesigamu sesibili — umzuzu wama-46 — futhi ngaleyo ndlela wavala umnyango ngaphambi kokuba i-Algeria ikwazi ukuwuvula kancane. I-Algeria — le yindaba ehlukile yobuhlungu. Ama-55% okubamba ibhola, ama-85% okunemba kokudlula — kanye nama-0.73 xG. Nansi inhlekelele: ibhola lalikhona, ukudala kwakungekho. Isikhathi sabo esikhulu esisodwa abasisebenzisanga. U-Riyad Mahrez — igama okufanele lesabise abaphikisi, — wahlukaniswa yisiyalo sase-Switzerland futhi wangena esikhundleni ngomzuzu wama-71, engakwazi ukuguqula umdlalo. Ama-Algeria ayedlala kakhulu ibhola eceleni futhi ayefuna kancane ukuma. Ukushintsha kwabaqeqeshi ngomzuzu wama-58–59 kwakubonakala njengomzamo wokuvusa iqembu, kodwa akuzange kuxazulule inkinga yesakhiwo. Amakhadi amabili aphuzi — u-Farès Chaïbi ngomzuzu wama-36 no-Hicham Boudaoui ngomzuzu wama-72 — kwanele ukwengeza ukungakhululeki emdlalweni wase-Algeria, kodwa akuzange kwanele ukushintsha noma yini. Umphumela uqotho: umphumela uhambisana ne-xG, i-Switzerland yafaneleka ukunqoba ngokufanele. Umshini wase-Switzerland uyaqhubeka kwiNdebe Yomhlaba — futhi ku-FootLegion amagoli ezwe lakho ngeke athathwe muntu. Manje kumazwana: ingabe i-Algeria yayikwazi ukwenza okuningi, noma ingabe ukungakwazi ukugcwalisa kuyinkinga yabo yesistimu? Futhi umbuzo wesibili: u-Manzambi noma u-Ndoye — ubani oyingozi kakhulu kumphikisi olandelayo we-Switzerland?