Switzerland opened their UEFA Nations League, League B, Group 1 campaign with a clean 3-0 win away to North Macedonia at the Nacional Arena Todor Proeski. The visitors controlled most of the game and finished with the kind of shot volume and xG that usually ends one way. You can revisit every action, lineup and metric on the match page on Sofascore. For standings and schedule across the group, head to the UEFA Nations League hub.

Clinical Switzerland start Group B1 with authority

From the first whistle, Switzerland’s 4-2-3-1 kept North Macedonia pinned back, and the shot count told the story. The visitors finished with 23 attempts to the hosts’ 2, with 11 on target and none the other way. Possession leaned Switzerland’s way at 59%, and the passing totals did too at 575 completed passes to 406. Even more, the visitors piled up 41 touches in the home box, while North Macedonia managed 7.

On expected goals, the gap matched the eye test: 2.14 for Switzerland to 0.05 for North Macedonia. Five corners to none underlined the territorial control. Switzerland also built sustained pressure in the final third, logging 64 entries and completing 110 of 149 actions there. North Macedonia battled and won more duels overall, but the visitors consistently progressed play and created better chances. It was a strong, composed start to League B, Group 1.

How the goals arrived

Switzerland’s opener came on 22 minutes and flowed neatly from right to left. Dan Ndoye’s delivery found Zeki Amdouni, who laid the ball into the path of Remo Freuler. The midfielder finished low to make it 1-0 after a tidy Swiss move. By half-time, the visitors were two up.

In the 41st minute, Amdouni struck his first, steering a right-footed effort into the net. He doubled his tally midway through the second half with a left-footed finish at 74 minutes, this time supplied by Zachary Athekame. The second-half goal capped a long Swiss spell around the area and matched the rhythm of the shot map. North Macedonia, organized in a 4-4-2, spent lengthy stretches defending their box.

Numbers that told the story

Switzerland produced 23 shots with 15 inside the box and generated 2.14 xG, while North Macedonia posted just 2 attempts and 0.05 xG. The visitors hit the target 11 times and even clipped the woodwork once through Ndoye. They also finished with 5 accurate crosses from 14 and connected on 18 of 35 long balls. In contrast, the hosts were 0 of 7 on crosses and 22 of 58 on long passes.

Field tilt showed up in final-third metrics: Switzerland logged 64 entries and completed 110 of 149 actions in that zone. North Macedonia had 26 entries and went 26 of 52. The away side completed 510 accurate passes to the home team’s 323 and racked up 67 ball recoveries to 50. Interceptions favored the visitors 14 to 9. It was steady territorial control backed by consistent regain of possession.

Even the average team evaluation leaned clearly Swiss, with a 7.53 average Sofascore Rating to 6.50 for North Macedonia. Dan Ndoye was lively with 6 shots and 3 key passes and also struck the post, even if his finishing deserted him. Manuel Akanji and Nico Elvedi progressed play out of defense, combining for 163 completed passes and nine progressive carries between them. Zachary Athekame had a balanced game on the flank with 1 assist, 4 tackles won and 3 interceptions.

Defending, duels and the Dimitrievski shift

North Macedonia did win the physical battles in spots, taking 56% of total duels, including a 67% edge in the air. They also made 23 clearances and 20 total tackles, showing the back line and midfield worked. The challenge was field position and pressure, which left little room to counter. Errors leading to a shot stood at 2 for the hosts and 0 for the visitors, and that margin matters at this level.

Stole Dimitrievski was busy and often excellent, finishing with 8 saves, 5 from inside the box, and 1 big save. His distribution was tidy too, with 47 accurate passes and 13 accurate long balls. Still, the visitors’ volume told in the end. Switzerland, disciplined and patient, conceded no corners and no shots on target. Referee Daniel Schlager kept things steady with just seven fouls against the Swiss and four North Macedonian bookings.

Amdouni leads the line

Zeki Amdouni delivered a standout performance and finished with a 9.7 Sofascore Rating. He scored twice, assisted once, and led Switzerland with 7 total shots and 3 on target. His xG sat at 0.906 and his xGOT at 1.187, which lined up neatly with the quality of his finishing. Beyond the goals, he created 2 key passes and won all 3 of his tackles, working both sides of the ball.

Amdouni’s first goal just before the break punctured North Macedonia’s resolve, and the second on 74 minutes put the result to bed. He linked well with Ndoye, Freuler and the advancing full-backs, showing good movement between the lines. Among Switzerland’s other top performers, Remo Freuler posted an 8.0 after controlling midfield and scoring the opener. Manuel Akanji clocked a 7.8, anchoring build-up with 79 accurate passes and 8 recoveries, while Zachary Athekame’s assist and 4-for-4 tackling supported a 7.4. It was a well-rounded attacking display powered by Amdouni’s timing and touch.