Soccer-Swiss goalkeeper leaves Euros to attend birth of child

The possibility of Sommer leaving the tournament to be with his wife in Cologne had been hanging over the team for days. He flew to Germany after Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to Italy in Rome. It is unclear whether he will rejoin the squad in time for Sunday’s match in Baku.

Switzerland’s first-choice goalkeeper, Yann Sommer, could miss his team’s vital Group A clash with Turkey on Sunday after leaving the squad to attend the birth of his second child, the Swiss football association said on Thursday. The possibility of Sommer leaving the tournament to be with his wife in Cologne had been hanging over the team for days. He flew to Germany after Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat to Italy in Rome.

It is unclear whether he will rejoin the squad in time for Sunday’s match in Baku. Switzerland have a solitary point from their opening two matches and need a victory to have any chance of advancing to the last 16. If he does not make it back in time, Yvon Mvogo, 27, will win his fifth cap, ahead of uncapped Gregor Kobel who was brought into the squad belatedly as a replacement for the injured Jonas Omlin.

"Switzerland certainly does not have to worry about it. We have a great goalie team at the Euros," Sommer told reporters earlier in the tournament. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by xx)