Kloten goalkeeper arrived too late: ‘The phone call came when I got home from school’

Regular goalkeeper Juha Metsola (34) became ill during the bus ride. But now a replacement was needed for backup goalkeeper Sandro Zurkirchen.

That’s why the city staff at the airport quickly called Liam Yuhki Deussen (18). The problem? The elite junior goalkeeper traveled by bus. Even under normal circumstances, the trip to Geneva is no walk in the park. But on Friday evenings it’s even worse.

“The call came just as I got home from school,” Deussen says. «I was asked if I could go to Geneva. So I quickly ran to the rink, grabbed my bag and headed out.” The young goalkeeper, who does not have a driver’s license, jumped into the bus together with Kloten’s security personnel.

So the teenager arrived late and his preparation for the match was limited to putting on his equipment and putting on his jersey. “When I arrived at the rink, the game had already started,” he says, laughing. “It was strange and strange at the same time to stand here,” he notes. He admits he would have been caught off guard if he had had to jump on the ice in the first few minutes: “Normally I’m always ready to take my chance. But after the shortened preparation it might have been mentally difficult for me to get into the match straight away.

And did Kloten, when he was 3-0 behind, hope for his first minutes in the National League despite the special circumstances? “As a young goalkeeper you can’t choose when and how something like this happens to you. You just have to make sure you’re ready.”

The 18-year-old replaced Mayer at Servette

While Deussen still has to wait for his NL debut, on the other hand, another 18-year-old made his debut: Nassim Jaafri-Hayani came on at the start of the third period as a substitute for the injured Robert Mayer (34). The first puck he encountered went straight into his net. He didn’t let that bother him.

“It was an incredible evening. It was incredible for me to feel the atmosphere. But then to get the chance to get in the game, that’s crazy. I’m just happy. “Especially because we won,” says the young Genevan. “It all happened very quickly. When I realized I had to leave, I tried to calm myself down. Everyone encouraged me. I just focused on what I had to do.”

Champion goalkeeper Mayer “was hit in the head at the end of the second third,” explains goalkeeping coach Sébastien Beaulieu. “He was eliminated, but he also knew there was a young man on the bench and so he wanted to hold on.” However, the two goals he conceded in quick succession convinced him to leave his place. Steiner’s first goal in particular would hardly have happened under normal circumstances.

“It won’t be easy to fall asleep”

Meanwhile, Jaafri-Hayani would not be averse to being given another chance. Laughing, he says: “But first I’m going to try to have a good night. It probably won’t be easy to fall asleep after a night like that.”

Then the message arrives on Saturday afternoon: The 18-year-old gets his second chance. Jaafri-Hayani will also replace Mayer in the match in Rapperswil.