R16 July 3 Sweden v. Switzerland [R]

Sweden's fan here. I hope Sweden win, and I don't see how Sweden couldn't win, they got strong defense, and they organize. Switzerland might be a bit better on attack, but their defense is definately not strong as Sweden. I said Sweden got this one.

GO GO Sweden!!

 

I see both teams pretty even. Sweden is slightly better defending while the Swiss are better on attack. 50/50

 

Yes Sir, and they both similar team. But from the group stage I see Sweden perform better. I still said Switzerland will have a hard time break into Sweden defense.

I think Sweden got this, but then I'm a Sweden's fan so..

Who you think will win?

 

Switzerland.

 

Sverige in Karoliner mode - hold the lines! Semi final seems real, if England gets over Colombia...

 

I honestly don't know who will win; I want to say Sweden but being honest about it, I think that either one can win this.

 

Switzerland has some crazy stats (can someone lay them out ?)

pre-world cup Its something like 25 games without a loss and a tremendous amount of wins. I might be talking out of my......, but that's what I heard. They are ranked 6th in the world!

The Switzerland of old was a great draw in qualifying, it might have been tough games but was usually 6 points for Sweden (home and away). Those days are gone. I've seen international papers call Sweden "The giant killer" with pictures of Robben and Buffon. It feels rather ominous that we now face a team that doesn't have a great deal of respect and yet they are ranked No.6.

After Sweden made sure Italy missed their first world cup since 1958 I am never truly doubting anything this team can do. Beating Brazil in a World Cup knockout match or finishing ahead of Germany in the group stage is a less impressive feature than going ahead of Italy in 2 play-off games. I gave Sweden roughly 1% chance at best of making it past Italy in 2 games. The team could pull an upset in 1 game but no way they could stand against the Italians in the second one.

WIth all that being said, it seems so fitting that they will now be axed by a team that doesn't have the name recognition that they should have considering their stats.

No idea really, my homer bet is on Sweden

 

That can't be right, as the Swiss lost their last 2018 group qualifier to Portugal.

 

Its one loss in 25 games.

 

Sweden impressed me against Mexico...
Will be tough for their opponents, colombia-england included.

 

I see this game too close to call like the Denmark-Croatia match. Maybe even go to penalties since both teams know hot to play solid Defense for the most part.

 

I know that half of players in swiss are from balkanic origins and just like us yesterday they won't like to play a team as much organized and strong physically. Everything is possible in football but i give Sweden the edge there especially after the confidence boost from Mexico.

 

A few thoughts:

*The last time Switzerland won a knockout round game in an international tournament was in 1938 when they beat Germany. However, there were no group stages back then so the format was different. The last time Sweden won such a do-or-die game was in 1994, against Romania.

*Lichtsteiner & Schär not playing makes Switzerland more beatable than had they not been suspended. Especially Lichtsteiner, whose leadership is invaluable for the Swiss. We need to take advantage of this.

*While not having an elite striker, Switzerland should beat us on paper. Nearly every single squad member plays, or has played, in an European top 5 league. Yet, they never take their game to the next level. They're they NT equivalent of an stable upper-midtable club who won't contend for the trophy. Everton might be an apt comparison.

*Both teams have had incidents relating to multiculturalism in the team (Albanian eagle symbol vs. Serbia, & Durmaz death threats on social media), and I think both have responded in a way that makes me think that team spirit & level of unity is really high.

*A Swiss-Croatian player kicked a Scandinavian team out of the tournament yesterday. Guess who'll be extra nervous if there is a penalty shootout and Drmić steps up to the spot?

 

That 1994 Sweden-Romania match was fun.
To this day my favorite FK set piece of all time in any tournament.

 

That 94 Swedish team was loaded. They beat themselves in their minds even before taking the pitch vs Brazil. It was a fvcking shame....

 

Great post. I'm probably not respecting them enough either.

I don't have a clue who will win..i'm hoping there is some entertainment although I'm predicting a slog....a Croatia?Denmarkish game

 

So that's what excited Swedes sound like? Makes me miss Iceland.

 

And Elo has Switzerland the slight favorites here
Switzerland 1913
Sweden 1872

That's a 55% to 45% advantage.

Colombia or England would be the favorites over either.

 

This match is an example of why I don't much care to see to me redundant sides from the same confederation at the World Cup. Sweden and Switzerland are both good teams. Certainly much better than Panama or Saudi Arabia or even Egypt. One of them will even make the quarterfinals and, who knows, maybe beyond. But I hold no real interest in either one.

 

Exactly, I am only watching this game because it's the World Cup.

 

Not to mention the global confusion when the two countries most often confused with one another play in a match
https://www.thelocal.ch/20180403/sp...-new-york-stock-exchange-flies-the-wrong-flag

As a Swiss fan I see this as a 50:50 game. Either one can take it. I of course hope we finally beat our inability to win an elimination round match. Whether it entertains you lot is rather secondary.

 

Very evenly matched game - so hard to pick a favorite... Sweden have been the ultimate giant killers in this tournament, but Swizerland's flag is a big plus

 

That's a brilliant freekick. Too bad I don't remember that tournament at all. We had quite a few quality players back then.