Serbia vs Switzerland
Serbia may have won their first game, but they should be wary of their Swiss opponents in the second match of Group E.
Although Switzerland got only one point in their opener, it is a point they are definitely proud of. After all, just a few teams can boast holding their ground against a Brazil squad that is considered one of the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy in Moscow next month.
Indeed, Serbia vs Switzerland is not the typical head-turning match-up that will make fans giddy with excitement. However, with the top spot up for grabs and considering how they opened their Russia 2018 campaign, this game has turned into a can’t-miss affair!
Talking Points
Switzerland playing out a 1-1 draw against Brazil? Seriously, who would have expected that!?
A quick look at the FIFA rankings would suggest that such result was to be expected from a team rated sixth-best in the world. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the Selecao were predicted to thrash the Swiss side and run away with the lead in Group E.
The Rossocrociati, however, held on and pulled off one of the biggest shockers in the tournament when Steven Zuber headed home an equaliser.
Switzerland showed great spirit in that match, and that will certainly take them a long way in this group.
The key for Switzerland against Serbia is their defence, the same weapon they used to limit the five-time champions so often praised for their flair and attacking quality.
Switzerland focused on Brazil star Neymar and fouled him ten times. While some would question such tactic, it paid off big time as the Paris Saint-Germain man saw few chances and was never able to find his rhythm.
Valon Behrami—who hounded Neymar through and through and even received death threats for it—was also crucial as he repeatedly stopped plays from building up. There’s also 22-year-old defender Manuel Akanji who dominated possession to impress in his just eighth international appearance.
And who could forget about goalkeeper Yann Sommer? As the last line of defence, the 29-year-old did well in stopping both Philippe Coutinho and Neymar.
Serbia have a deadly striker in Newcastle United’s Aleksandar Mitrovic, but Switzerland have shown they can stop anyone coming their way.
Not to mention that they also boast an offensive threat of their own in Xherdan Shaqiri. The 26-year-old posed enough problem to the Brazilians, and there’s no doubt he will be his usual threat when the Swiss play the Serbians.
Sure enough, Mladen Krstajic and his boys will be ready for the fight that Switzerland will bring. After overcoming their opening day nerves against Costa Rica, Serbia are just a win away from virtually securing a place in the knockout stages this July.
Besides Mitrovic, the Eagles also have a plethora of talent at their disposal. Aleksandar Kolarov, at 32, has proven that he still has much left in the tank. Meanwhile, Nemanja Matic remains an important figure in midfield and has shown that he can be the fulcrum to connect the backline to the frontline.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, on the other hand, displayed his creative talent versus Los Ticos and was only a bit unlucky to not score. But if he can maintain his fine form, goals will surely come soon.
History
Switzerland have not played Serbia before, so this will be their first meeting. It’s worth noting though that the Serbs faced the Swiss 13 times as Yugoslavia.
In those 13 meetings, Yugoslavia won six, drew five and lost just twice. They only met once in the World Cup though, with Yugoslavia winning 3-0 in a group stage game.
Interestingly, since the Yugoslavia breakup, Serbia have never moved past the group phase at a World Cup. Serbia failed to win a game in 2002 when they were a State Union with Montenegro and bagged just one win in 2010 as an independent nation.
Meanwhile, Switzerland have a solid record against fellow European opposition, losing just once in their past four World Cup fixtures—a 2-5 defeat to France in 2014. Vladimir Petkovic’s men are also currently on a roll, going undefeated in their last seven outings.
What are the odds?
While the Serbia vs Switzerland results matter, it’s pretty difficult to make an outright prediction. In fact, SBOBET odds have the two in a tightly-contested affair.
Serbia-Switzerland betting odds put the Swiss at 1X2 @ 2.52 to win, while the Serbs are at a close 1X2 @ 2.96.
Don’t expect a lot of goals too. Under 2.25 is at 1.70 while a Correct Score Draw 1-1 is the likely result at 5.20.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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