Olten played host to La Chaux-de-Fonds in the Swiss League on Friday evening, and the visitors made light work of the hosts with a 6:2 victory. It was a result that left little doubt about who controlled the game from the start. By then you could see Olten were already behind the eight ball.
The hosts came out with some energy, but La Chaux-de-Fonds responded with clinical efficiency. We had expected Olten to have a chance at home, but that prediction simply didn't pan out. And here's the thing — the visitors have not won since their last loss, yet they turned up on the right day.
Olten's recent form had been inconsistent at best. They had faced GCK Lions and lost 5:7, then played Basel twice and lost both times. To be fair, they had shown they could score — a 9:4 win over Hur earlier in the month — but consistency remained the problem. The hosts have not won since their opening fixture.
La Chaux-de-Fonds came into this game with mixed results too. They had beaten Turgau 6:2 and GCK Lions 5:1, but also lost to Basel and Aron. The visitors have been a team that scores goals and concedes them in equal measure. This match was no different, but they managed to find the net more often.
The statistics told the story without embellishment. La Chaux-de-Fonds shot with purpose and Olten could only match them in spirit. The goal difference of four tells you everything about a game where one side refused to go away and the other packed up early. It was a straight knockout performance.
After this result Olten remain in eighth place with five games played and zero points on the board. La Chaux-de-Fonds sit fifth after six matches, also on zero points despite three wins — a curious table that reflects the league's unusual scoring system. The gap between them is not yet meaningful, but the mood has shifted.
