Basel hosted Olten in a club friendly on Monday evening, but the visitors took all three points with a 3:1 victory. The result stood as a statement of intent from the away side, who came in with plenty of confidence after their recent run of results.
Basel arrived with mixed fortunes at home. They had lost 2:3 to Freiburg and 2:5 to Arosa in their previous outings, while a 0:3 defeat to Chur added to the concerns. To be fair, they had bounced back with a 5:0 win over Langenthal, but that offered little comfort against a side that looked sharper.
Olten meanwhile had been scoring freely. A 4:1 win against Arosa came just days before, with previous results including a 3:5 loss to Bülach and a 7:2 victory over GC Lions. By then they had clearly found their rhythm, and Basel would pay for every hesitation.
The match itself told a simple story. Olten took control early and never let go. Basel pulled one back but never got back into contention, and the visitors extended their lead to seal the win. It was a performance built on sharpness and composure rather than showmanship.
The result shifts the momentum, if that matters in a friendly. Olten have picked up a confidence boost from four wins in their last five games, while Basel's defensive frailties look set to remain under scrutiny. The line has barely moved in terms of what these results prove, but the mood could change by winter.