Leila Wandeler, a teammate of Alisha Lehmann of Switzerland, has recently spoken out after their 7-1 loss to an Under-15 boys’ team was leaked. The host country has been playing a series of behind-the-scenes friendlies against minor boys’ teams in anticipation of the Women’s European Championship, which begins in the Alpine nation next week.
Despite the fact that these games were supposed to be kept private, one of the lads engaged posted on social media that the Swiss women’s national team had fallen to Luzern’s Under-15s 7-1. Since then, it has also been revealed that the team defeated FC Solothurn’s U15 team 2-1, but defeated FC Biel’s U15 team 2-1.
Criticism swiftly followed, as is to be anticipated when a women’s national team falls to a teenage boys’ squad. But those that play the games have a different perspective, with 23rd in the FIFA World Rankings hoping to be one of the underdogs in this summer’s main event.
Leila Wandeler Breaks Silence On Switzerland Women’s Loss
The Lyon forward has explained why it was a good thing
Days before the Euros, Leila Wandeler, a member of Lehmann’s national squad, responded to the humiliating loss. The 19-year-old Lyon forward stated in an interview with Aargauer Zeitung:
“The outcome was irrelevant. It was about putting our gaming principles to the test for us. Training sessions wear you out. But for this European Championship, we all want to be in top form. I believe it’s a good thing because of this.
The women’s national team’s head of communications, Sven Micosse, also supported the practice. He told the Express that playing against youth teams is typical in women’s football. “The goal to bring a certain competitive element.”
“The physical component is the main focus at this stage of preparation. These training matches are really similar to our international matches in terms of distance and intensity, regardless of the outcome.
Alayah Pilgrim of Roma scored Switzerland’s lone goal, and the stolen photos also showed that Lehmann was playing, even though there had been some scepticism about her playing in the first team this summer due to her prior exclusion from the national team and sparse playing time at Juventus.
La Nati has greater fish to fry, so they are unlikely to be bothered by the outside noise. The fact that Lia Walti and Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic are both rushing to be healthy in time for the tournament, however, will worry them more because it could significantly affect their chances of moving on from a group that includes Finland, Iceland, and Norway in a tournament where England will be looking to defend their title.
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