Match Previews
World Cup 2018
Round Group E
Switzerland
Last updated: Wed 27 June 2018 11:26Switzerland scored in the last minute to claim a 2:1 win over Serbia. A draw will be enough for them to go through regardless of the outcome of the other game in the group. Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaquiri will be available.
Switzerland are coming from a superb 2:1 victory over Serbia. It was a full-blooded encounter that could have gone either way, but Vladimir Petkovic's men recovered from conceding early and managed to win it thanks to a late goal by Xherdan Shaquiri.
The Swiss are now second in the group and trail Brazil only on goal-difference. They will certainly go through if they avoid losing the upcoming game against Costa Rica by more than one goal.
The three goals the Swiss scored so far have come from midfielders. Haris Seferovic has been largely ineffective in attack so far and was substituted at half time of the game against Serbia. Mario Gavranovic and Breel Embolo will now be hoping to start.
Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaquiri both gained plenty of attention for their "Albanian Eagle" celebrations of their goals against Serbia. Both men faced FIFA investigations but were only given fines and will be available to play.
The Swiss will be oozing confidence going into their upcoming match, given that they have lost only two of their last twenty competitive games.
Costa Rica
Last updated: Wed 27 June 2018 11:26Already out of the running for the last-16. No fresh absentees.
Played a really compact and solid defensive game and went close to taking a point off Brazil in their second group game. But as well as the Ticos defended during 90 minutes, they capitulated in added time as two goals from the Samba Boys eventually crushed them.
It was a much better overall effort compared to the game against Serbia and Oscar Ramirez saw signs of real drive and energy from his men, something that was lacking previously.
The battle to reach the last-16 is over and Costa Rica now have just pride to play as they prepare to face the Swiss on Wednesday. Oscar Ramirez will be still expecting his men to put it all in and try as hard as they can, even if they have little left to play for.
The manager is not expected to rotate too much after the strong performance against the Brazilians. The likes of Joel Campbell and Kendall Waston are tipped to start compared to the last game but the manager is otherwise unlikely to shuffle the pack. Defenders Cristian Meneses and Jose Salvatierra are injured but everyone else is fit and ready.
4 unspecified players are dealing with knocks and this could affect the starting eleven.
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4-2-3-1 Previous Line Ups
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Y. Sommer | |||
| S. Lichtsteiner | |||
| F. Schar | |||
| M. Akanji | |||
| R. Rodriguez | |||
| G. Xhaka | |||
| V. Behrami | |||
| X. Shaqiri | |||
| B. Dzemaili | |||
| S. Zuber | |||
| H. Seferovic |
5-4-1 Previous Line Ups
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| K. Navas | |||
| C. Gamboa | |||
| K. Waston | |||
| O. Duarte | |||
| G. Gonzalez | |||
| B. Oviedo | |||
| J. Campbell | |||
| D. Guzman | |||
| C. Borges | |||
| B. Ruiz | |||
| M. Urena |
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| R. Burki | |||
| Y. Mvogo | |||
| J. Djourou | |||
| N. Elvedi | |||
| M. Lang | |||
| J. Moubandje | |||
| D. Zakaria | |||
| G. Fernandes | |||
| R. Freuler | |||
| M. Gavranovic | |||
| J. Drmic | |||
| B. Embolo |
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| L. Moreira | |||
| P. Pemberton | |||
| F. Calvo | |||
| I. Smith | |||
| J. Acosta | |||
| R. Matarrita | |||
| Y. Tejeda | |||
| R. Azofeifa | |||
| R. Wallace | |||
| C. Bolanos | |||
| D. Colindres | |||
| J. Venegas |
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Y. Sommer | |||
| S. Lichtsteiner | |||
| F. Schar | |||
| M. Akanji | |||
| R. Rodriguez | |||
| G. Xhaka | |||
| V. Behrami | |||
| X. Shaqiri | |||
| B. Dzemaili | |||
| S. Zuber | |||
| H. Seferovic |
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| R. Burki | |||
| Y. Mvogo | |||
| J. Djourou | |||
| N. Elvedi | |||
| M. Lang | |||
| J. Moubandje | |||
| D. Zakaria | |||
| G. Fernandes | |||
| R. Freuler | |||
| M. Gavranovic | |||
| J. Drmic | |||
| B. Embolo |
Costa Rica
Last updated: Wed 27 June 2018 11:26Already out of the running for the last-16. No fresh absentees.
Played a really compact and solid defensive game and went close to taking a point off Brazil in their second group game. But as well as the Ticos defended during 90 minutes, they capitulated in added time as two goals from the Samba Boys eventually crushed them.
It was a much better overall effort compared to the game against Serbia and Oscar Ramirez saw signs of real drive and energy from his men, something that was lacking previously.
The battle to reach the last-16 is over and Costa Rica now have just pride to play as they prepare to face the Swiss on Wednesday. Oscar Ramirez will be still expecting his men to put it all in and try as hard as they can, even if they have little left to play for.
The manager is not expected to rotate too much after the strong performance against the Brazilians. The likes of Joel Campbell and Kendall Waston are tipped to start compared to the last game but the manager is otherwise unlikely to shuffle the pack. Defenders Cristian Meneses and Jose Salvatierra are injured but everyone else is fit and ready.
4 unspecified players are dealing with knocks and this could affect the starting eleven.
- ---
- ---
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| K. Navas | |||
| C. Gamboa | |||
| K. Waston | |||
| O. Duarte | |||
| G. Gonzalez | |||
| B. Oviedo | |||
| J. Campbell | |||
| D. Guzman | |||
| C. Borges | |||
| B. Ruiz | |||
| M. Urena |
| Player | Rat. | Pos. | No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| L. Moreira | |||
| P. Pemberton | |||
| F. Calvo | |||
| I. Smith | |||
| J. Acosta | |||
| R. Matarrita | |||
| Y. Tejeda | |||
| R. Azofeifa | |||
| R. Wallace | |||
| C. Bolanos | |||
| D. Colindres | |||
| J. Venegas |