Led by 23-year-old Inter Milan winger Xherdan Shaqiri and Juventus proper again Stephan Lichtsteiner, Switzerland ought to present a stern problem to a U.S. workforce that misplaced to Denmark on Wednesday.
BY
Andrew Gastelum
Posted
March 30, 2015
11:00 AM
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WITH ONLY TWO WINS in eight video games for the reason that World Cup, issues aren’t precisely going to get simpler for the U.S. males’s nationwide workforce anytime quickly. In reality, its subsequent 4 matches come in opposition to 4 groups that superior previous the group stage finally summer season’s World Cup.
That run by way of the gauntlet begins Tuesday evening in Zurich, the place the Swiss await recent off a 3-0 Euro 2016 qualifying win over Estonia. After the insipid defensive show in opposition to Denmark final Wednesday, Jurgen Klinsmann must brace his aspect for a fair sterner offensive risk in Switzerland.
OVERVIEW Like the USA, Switzerland’s World Cup dream in Brazil led to further time throughout the Spherical of 16 (a win for every would have seen the 2 meet within the quarterfinals). Nevertheless, the Swiss held Lionel Messi’s Argentina to zero objectives by way of 117 minutes, earlier than Angel Di Maria set the runners-up on a path towards the World Cup last. Ending only one level behind France in Group E, Switzerland turned out to be one of many shock groups in Brazil, regardless of coming as a Prime-10 ranked aspect by FIFA.
Supervisor Ottmar Hitzfeld retired following the World Cup after teaching Switzerland to 30 wins in 61 matches over the course of six years. Enter former Lazio supervisor Vladimir Petkovic, who has settled the nation into Twelfth within the newest FIFA World Rankings.
The USA is 1-3-3 all-time in opposition to the Swiss, with the Yanks successful the latest contest—a 1-0 victory in Basel.
RECENT PERFORMANCE The 2 nations have shared no less than one opponent in frequent over the previous two years: On the World Cup, the Swiss dismantled CONCACAF foe Honduras 3-0 to clinch passage to the knockout levels in its final victory below Hitzfeld. After a tough begin to Petkovic’s reign, Switzerland has turned issues round in Euro 2016 qualifying with three wins in its final three matches, outscoring San Marino, Lithuania, and Estonia 11-0 alongside the way in which.
However in opposition to the present prime 50 in FIFA’s rankings, Switzerland has just one win in its final seven matches (a 2-1 win over Ecuador in Brazil) relationship again to the beginning of final 12 months. On account of losses in opposition to England and Slovenia to start out its Euro 2016 qualifying marketing campaign, the Swiss workforce finds itself tied with Slovenia for second place in Group E with 9 factors.
TACTICAL REVIEW Exterior of a managerial change and the worldwide retirement of longtime goalkeeper Diego Benaglio, not a lot has modified for Switzerland since Brazil. Youth has remained on the core of Swiss operations—the common age of Friday’s beginning XI in opposition to Estonia was 25 years previous. Evaluating its beginning XI from the Argentina match on the World Cup to Friday’s qualifier, there have been solely two adjustments as striker Haris Seferovic entered the fray to attain one in all three objectives in opposition to Estonia.
Underneath Petkovic, Switzerland has adhered to the identical 4-2-3-1 that Hitzfeld rode to the World Cup. Nevertheless, in opposition to Estonia, Petkovic opted for extra attacking freedom by switching to an offensive 4-3-3 with Seferovic main the cost supported by the damaging wing play of Josip Drmic and Xherdan Shaqiri. Captain Gokhan Inler performed within the lone holding midfield function to help the again 4.
TOP PLAYERS TO WATCH One star that rose to the worldwide stage on the World Cup was Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri. The 23-year-old led the workforce in scoring with three objectives and an help in 4 matches in Brazil. Shaqiri has discovered himself at a membership crossroads this season, heading to Inter Milan on mortgage from Bayern Munich in January after an absence of taking part in time with the German champions. However that has but to have an effect on the ahead’s worldwide play, evident Friday in opposition to Estonia when he used his infinite motor and acute crossing to help on all three of Switzerland’s objectives.
In the meantime, proper again Stephan Lichtsteiner has confirmed to be simply as dependable for the Swiss alongside the again line. Referred to as the Swiss Specific for his blistering runs down the appropriate flank and skill to play two-way soccer, Lichtsteiner has put collectively fairly the profession in Serie A. Since arriving at Juventus, Lichtsteiner has performed an instrumental function within the membership’s three consecutive league titles, with a fourth within the works this season.
But the 31-year-old has proven no indicators of slowing down, notching three objectives and 4 assists in Serie A this 12 months. U.S. left again Greg Garza struggled to include Lasse Vibe and Daniel Wass down the wing in opposition to Denmark; it’s a scary thought to think about the likes of Shaqiri and Lichtsteiner rummaging his approach.
ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON FC Basel defender Fabian Schar has put collectively fairly the outstanding begin with the Swiss nationwide workforce. Lower than two years after making his debut for the senior workforce, the 23-year-old has cemented a spot within the beginning XI whereas scoring 5 objectives in 11 worldwide matches as a central defender. There’s no surprise why Arsenal has been eyeing the defender for fairly a while now. It will behoove the U.S. to work on its set-piece defending as Schar headed house a aim Friday.
Whereas all we’ve been speaking about are objectives and flash, there’s one man who grinds the gears because the cog in midfield. Granit Xhaka, 22, is fourth within the Bundesliga in passes per recreation with 76.6 and in addition ranks within the prime 10 amongst midfielders with a powerful 86% move completion fee. The Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder made his mark on the World Cup along with his precision passing and ahead motion, paving the way in which for Switzerland with a aim and three assists in 4 matches.
Andrew Gastelum might be masking the U.S. males’s nationwide workforce in Zurich over the following few days. That is his first piece for ASN and we actually suppose it’s best to observe him on Twitter.
