Neuchatel Xamax v Lausanne

Neuchatel Xamax are experiencing their worst start to a domestic season since 1997. The two-time Swiss champions were a Super League side back when they last suffered four straight defeats at the beginning of a new campaign, and the fact they are a second-tier side sitting bottom of the table some twenty-five years later will be causing the Xamaxians much more concern ahead of the visit of title favourites Lausanne-Sport on Friday evening, hardly the game you’d choose to try to bring in an end to a bad patch of form.

Lausanne haven’t been as dominant as some may have expected after strengthening significantly following relegation last season, but they still find themselves in a strong position in third. They are unbeaten in their last three matches, although would’ve been disappointed to only draw at home to Stade Lausanne-Ouchy last weekend. LS were the better team in the match against their neighbours, creating more chances, but they weren’t able to find the win.

The visitors can return to winning ways at the Stade de la Maladiere. They have the best squad in the league and are playing a team that is short of confidence and rock bottom with zero points. I’m confident that Contini’s side take the three points.

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Yverdon-Sport v FC Wil

A quick look at the Challenge League table would suggest that someone has taken last season’s final classification and flipped it on its head. Yverdon-Sport and FC Wil were never in danger of relegation due to the plight of SC Kriens, but they finished in eighth and ninth respectively and mostly struggled throughout the season. It is certainly a surprise to see these two leading the charge at this early stage, and it will be interesting to see if they can maintain it in the coming weeks.

Yverdon have been in excellent form, going unbeaten in their first four games and winning their third of those four games with a comeback victory at Neuchatel Xamax last Friday. They have already scored eleven goals in those four games which is even more remarkable considering it took them ten matchdays to hit that total in the 21/22 campaign.

FC Wil have kept three clean sheets this season and are just one away from matching their entire total of last season. It has been an efficient start after posting three wins from four, a 2-1 defeat at Stade Lausanne-Ouchy being the only blip in the first match back in late July. This trip to play Yverdon-Sport will be a significant test to see if their defence, which conceded a whopping eighty goals last season, really has stopped creaking and leaking so many goals.

This should be an entertaining game. I don’t expect the newly-found efficiency of FCW to last against this free-scoring YS. The home side have also conceded in all their games, so I think there will be plenty of goals on offer at the Muncipal.

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Bellinzona v Aarau

Bellinzona will be relatively pleased with their start to life back in the Challenge League. They may have only won one of their opening four games, but they’ve also only lost one match, and a 3-2 win away to principality club Vaduz has them in the lofty position of fifth as we enter matchday five.

Aarau have also won only one of their opening four games, but there is encouragement that the Brugglifeld side will put a run of form together sooner than later to mount a title challenge. They were frustrated in a wild 2-2 draw with Thun last weekend, coming from behind to score twice in the final six minutes before a goal in additional time denied them the three points at the Stockhorn Arena.

The home side have shown they will fight for everything this season, but this will be a difficult ask against a team that has the quality and attacking options to be contenders for promotion. Bellinzona have already conceded seven goals and have looked fragile in their last two games, something I expect in-form Shkelqim Vladi to exploit for the visitors. This is a tricky venue though, so I would recommend playing it safe by taking Aarau to win or draw.

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Stade Lausanne-Ouchy v Schaffhausen

After a disappointing opening day defeat, Stade Lausanne-Ouchy have bounced back to string together a good run of performances over the last few weeks. They are unbeaten in their last three games and were able to hold Lausanne to a goalless draw at the Tulliere last Sunday too, so there is plenty for Anthony Braziat and his squad to be confident about ahead of the visit of Schaffhausen to the Juan Antonio-Samaranch, their old and temporary home until they move back into the Pontaise in September.

I’ve mentioned previously that I believe Schaffhausen will struggle to score a lot of goals this season. They have been reliant on Raul Bobadilla already and their lack of cutting edge was apparent in their 1-0 home defeat to FC Wil. Both of their wins so far have come on home soil, a 1-0 over FC Thun and a 2-0 over bottom-of-the-table Neuchatel Xamax, while their solitary away game saw them well beaten 5-1 by Lausanne.

I do think that lack of firepower will prevent them from leaving with a victory on Saturday evening. SLO are pretty strong at home, both at the Pontaise and the Samaranch, and they look in good shape for this contest. For those reasons, I’d back SLO double chance.

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