Sweden vs Switzerland (9 PM): Low number of goals expected.
Securing a place in the knockout round is already a success for both Sweden and Switzerland. At 9 PM on July 3rd, the two teams will meet in Saint Petersburg to compete for a spot in the quarter-finals.
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| Shaqiri - Switzerland's hope in the clash against Sweden - Photo: REUTERS |
Despite securing qualification as group F winners, alongside defending champions Germany, Sweden were not highly rated in this year's tournament. Several factors contributed to this low rating, including a lack of star players and a team undergoing a rejuvenation process.
Furthermore, Sweden's long-ball and cross-and-header style of play is outdated and no longer surprises opponents, especially those with a defensive style like Switzerland.
Meanwhile, despite brilliantly holding title contender Brazil to a draw in their opening match, Switzerland is not considered one of the teams that could spring a surprise at the 2018 World Cup.
Switzerland is not highly rated because they lack outstanding stars and are not particularly strong in attack. Switzerland only plays well against strong teams and are considered underdogs. When facing teams of similar strength, they reveal themselves to be an average team.
In this match, both teams were also without their strongest squads due to suspensions. Sweden were missing their star attacker Sebastian Larsson, while Switzerland were without two defenders, Lichtsteiner and Fabian Schar.
With both teams employing a similar long-ball style of play, this match is considered very balanced and unlikely to produce many goals. Experts predict it will be a physically demanding game, and the team that capitalizes on opportunities will have a better chance of advancing to the quarter-finals.
