Thurgau claimed a 2:1 victory against Lions in the Swiss League on Saturday. The hosts delivered a gritty performance that contrasted sharply with the recent goal-fests. And here's the thing, neither side looked like scoring freely. The hosts took all 3 points at home.
Thurgau arrived with a volatile form, having lost 2:7 to Sierre HC and won 4:2 against Ticino Rockets. Lions were no better, coming off a 7:5 defeat to Olten and a 4:3 win over Visp. To be fair, the expectation was for another chaotic evening. Instead, they decided to defend. The managers clearly wanted to stop the bleeding.
We had tipped the home side before the game started. Our confidence was at 48 per cent, but the prediction came true because the visitors were fragile. Sometimes you just have to trust the numbers.
The match settled into a tight contest quickly. Thurgau managed to ground out the win as the visitors grew desperate. By then, the away side had nothing left to lose. They pushed forward but found no way through.
Both clubs sit near the bottom of the table with 0 points so far. The campaign is in its early days. But Thurgau has now moved ahead of their visitors in spirit.
The hosts delivered a professional performance. They stopped the bleeding after a string of high-scoring games. The 2:1 score gives Thurgau a buffer in the standings. Today was about survival. That is how you build momentum. And it is a start.
