Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was on a hot streak. Before heading into the international break, he registered back-to-back clean sheets against Paderborn and VfB Suttgart, following it up with two shutouts in a row with Switzerland against North Macedonia and Scotland in the UEFA Nations League.
That's a streak of four consecutive clean sheets for the Swiss custodian for club and country, an impressive record by all accounts. Although he was rarely tested in both the said international matches - Kobel didn't have to make a single save across 180 minutes against them - it's still a good record to revel in, on paper.
Kobel's run ends against Slovenia
As they say, all good things come to an end. On Saturday, so did Kobel's clean sheet run. Slovenia put one past him just two minutes into the clash as Zan Vipotnik found space inside the box too shoot and give the visitors a shock lead.
Curiously, Kobel didn't stretch him out enough as the ball flew past him. He ducked and remained rooted to the floor, helplessly watching it zoom into the far corner. After going two games in a row without facing a shot, the BVB goalkeeper concedes with the first one here and in less than 120 seconds of the kick-off too.
Kobel's double save in 90th minute
About three minutes after conceding, Slovenia mustered another shot as the Swiss defense was in sixes and sevens, losing possession rather clumsily in dangerous areas. Danijel Sturm had a go this time, latching onto a loose ball and progressing it beyond Remo Freuler's poor attempt at interception before shooting it low from range. Kobel saved this one comfortably.
In the dying embers of the opening half, the Balkan nation found another goalscoring opportunity after winning a free-kick from a decent range, but it was fired over the bar. With Swiss now leading 2-1 at the break and maintaining control in the second period too, Slovenia's next found real openings only in the 90th minute.
A lovely teamwork resulted in substitute Zan Celar fancying a shot from just outside the box, but Kobel produced strong hands to block it as Switzerland cleared it out of danger. But another Slovenian sub, Tomi Horvat, quickly got onto it before running it back and attempting a shot from range, but it calmly fell into Kobel's embrace.
Gregor Kobel and Switzerland play their last game of the international window against North Macedonia on Tuesday, 6 October in Lucerne, with the Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper eyeing his 10th international clean sheet.
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