The ‘touched’ Serbia wants to wake up on time against Switzerland
The ‘White Eagles’ need to beat a consistent Swiss team and wait for Cameroon’s defeat to reach the round of 16 and not disappoint
MADRID, 1 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Serbia faces Switzerland this Friday (8:00 p.m.) in the last day of Group G of the World Cup in Qatar, aware that their chances of staying alive are to beat the Swiss team, which would make them forget a disappointing World Cup start, while the Swiss have everything facing to be a team of eighths, entrusting themselves to the good beat of their gear.
Serbia came to Qatar as one of the possible ‘covers’ to go far in the tournament, after beating teams like Portugal in the qualifying phase. However, they are not measuring up, in a group that did not seem to be too complicated, unable for the moment to celebrate a victory and with only one point on their scoreboard.
The defeat against Brazil (2-0) in their debut could be expected given the high potential of the cariocas, but their draw (3-3) against Cameroon was more than disappointing. The Europeans beat an African team that seemed to be groggy, but after going 1-3, their competitiveness vanished and they paid for their ‘resignation’ with a draw that was little known.
This situation means that Serbia’s options only go through a win over Switzerland and that Cameroon does not beat Brazil. If the Africans beat the ‘Canarinha’, it will be necessary to resort to goal difference and other tie-breaking criteria. For this reason, this Friday is an all or nothing game, so they must control the pressure and nervousness that may appear as the minutes go by and the goal moves away.
To avoid this, the figure of striker Vlahovic will emerge, until now ostracized due to a doubtful physical condition. Although his coach, Dragan Stojkovic, has already confirmed that he is much better and could have minutes with striker (1) Mitrovic, protected by the Tadic hinge. Wingers Kostic and Zivkovic will play a key role in finding that much-needed depth in such a sharp team.
In front will be a Switzerland that is second in Group G with three points, thanks to its victory by the minimum (1-0) against Cameroon in its World Cup debut in Qatar. The subsequent defeat against Brazil (1-0) and the future of the shortlist of four teams now allow it to depend on itself to be in the round of 16. They will be in that tie if they beat Serbia or tie this duel, as long as Cameroon does not beat Brazil.
It would be the third consecutive presence of Switzerland in the round of 16 of a World Cup, the first time they would achieve it in their history. In addition, they have not lost two consecutive games in a World Cup since the 1994 edition in the United States, so everything seems to be up for the Swiss team.
Without great flourishes in their game but with a lot of reliability in their gear, Switzerland has become one of the teams that is managing to show one of its best versions. However, they will have to improve their goalscoring ability -only one goal in favor- to face the strength and intensity of the Serbs. Embolo will have a key role, along with a Shaquiri who could become the Swiss player with the most appearances in a World Cup, in what would be his eleventh World Cup duel.
Serbia comes to this duel with only one defeat in its last 16 games against European teams, while Switzerland beat them (1-2) in the last meeting between the two, also in a group stage, in Russia 2018. The match will be marked by a political ‘rivalry’ with Kosovo as an independent territory recognized by the UN in the middle, and Serbia does not support this independence, as its players showed with a banner that claimed the same.
SERBIA: V.Milinkovic-Savic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, S.Milinkovic-Savic, Lukic, Kostic, Tadic; Mitrovic y Vlahovic.
SWITZERLAND: Summer; Wider, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Genealogy, Freuler, Sow; Shaquiri, Vargas and Embolo.
— Referee: Fernando Rapallini (ARG).
–ESTADIO: Stadium 974.
–TIME: 20.00/Gol Mundial and Movistar.
