Swiss hold their breath in Basel

Swiss hold their breath in Basel




Swiss people, it is said, sometimes need something of an incentive to let their emotions show. But the Switzerland team are hoping that their UEFA EURO 2008™ opening game against the Czech Republic on Saturday will do just that in Basel, the unofficial national football capital.
New spirit
While the FIFA World Cup campaign two years ago ended in frustration with the first knockout round penalty shoot-out defeat by Ukraine in which Switzerland failed to convert once, what happened off the pitch could give heart to the co-hosts on their big day at St. Jakob-Park. Brought together by a dramatic qualification success, tens of thousands of Swiss people crossed the German border to follow the 'Nati' and hundreds of thousands others gathered together back home in an spirit of euphoria never seen before. After two years of often lacklustre friendly games, Swiss flags are now back on windows and cars and a whole country is ready to explode again.

Fresh hopes
Back in March 2001, when St. Jakob-Park was inaugurated, the nation was hopeful that as the first of a new generation of Swiss stadiums it would blaze a trail that would lead to UEFA EURO 2008™ being awarded to the nation. However, although FC Basel 1893 were to bring UEFA Champions League football to the arena, the national team lost their first two games there to Slovenia and Yugoslavia in their unsuccessful 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying bid.

Turning point
But on 8 September 2002 – three months before Switzerland's joint UEFA European Championship bid with Austria was accepted – the love affair between the St. Jakob Park and the Nati began. That day, on a sunny afternoon, Georgia were beaten 4-1 to launch Switzerland on their way to UEFA EURO 2004™. Having failed to reach three major tournaments in a row, Switzerland have not missed out since and indeed are yet to lose another competitive game in Basel, the most memorable win being the 2-0 defeat of the Republic of Ireland in October 2003 that booked their place in Portugal.

Moment of truth
There has not quite been another international like that at St. Jakob Park to trigger the emotions. Friendlies have been the main fare, including the disappointing 4-0 loss to Germany in March. But the big day pencilled in for so long has now arrived and feelings, currently vacillating between fear and hope, are again running high. For the nation, as they wait to see if the Czech Republic can be defeated; for the city, as they discover if St. Jakob-Park becomes a place of legend or a venue where dreams were extinguished.