Zwyssig back for Georgia test: http://www.uefa.com/competitions/EURO/news/Kind=1/newsId=61489.html Switzerland Squad (age/team/caps/goals): Keeper Pascal Zuberbühler (32/Basel/15) Fabrice Borer (31/Grasshoppers/3) Defense Bruno Berner (25/Freiburg/5/0) Bernt Haas (24/Basel/19/2) Remo Meyer (22/1860 München/2/0) Patrick Müller (26/Lyon/35/2) Murat Yakin (28/Basel/33/4) Marco Zwyssig (31/Basel/15/1) Midfield & Forwards Ricardo Cabanas (24/Grasshoppers/9/2) Mario Cantaluppi (28/Basel/20/4) Fabio Celestini (27/Marseille/17/1) Stéphane Chapuisat (33/Young Boys/89/21) Alex Frei (23/Rennes/15/9) Léonard Thurre (25/Servette/6/0) Johann Vogel (26/Eindhoven/54/2) Raphaël Wicky (25/Hamburger SV/42/0) Hakan Yakin (26/Basel/21/11)
This is a big game. Russia can move into first with a win. Switzerland can't afford a let up in this game.
Group 10 Results Georgia - Ireland 1:2 Albania - Russia 3:1 Current Standings (played/points) 1. Switzerland (3/7) 2. Russia (3/6) 3. Albania (3/4) 4. Ireland (3/3) 5. Georgia (2/0) Wow, what a (pleasant) surprise in Albania. Ireland also managed to squeeze through with a goal in the 85th minute. Switzerland stays in first without playing. We have a great chance this Wednesday to increase our lead on Russia. It will be hard however - I'm sure Georgia will try everything to avoid a 2nd consecutive defeat at home in less than a week. Hopp Schwiz!
http://www.euro2004.com/competitions/euro/news/kind=1/newsid=62350.html This is not the best news with the Swiss team going there in a few days. Lets hope nothing happens. I know that the actions of one should not damage the whole, but safety is important. I would be grateful for one point, but three would be awesome.
yeah, I saw the whole game on tv, and the irish lads were pelted with bottles and other crap any time they came near the crowd. That knife thrown that hit Kilbane was especially sickening, as straight after that georgia scored from the free kick, i think the knife distracted us a bit. I would expect dematradze to start for georgia against the swiss, he caused us some problems when he came on at half time. Still , unless u have got injuries i would expect a swiss win. Hopefully both ireland and switzerland can quailify. Xxtreme
Except for Henchoz we don't, so I agree with you. We have to go for the win in this one. A year ago I would've been happy with a tie, but we have been playing really well, so anything less than 3 pts. would be disappointing (to me at least.) You guys showed us how to get the win in difficult conditions. The downside for us: you probably riled them up for Wednesday. They won't go down without a fight. Indeed, with Switzerland in 1st of course Good luck to you guys as well, Albania won't be easy either after they spanked Russia (looking back, maybe a tie wasn't all that bad for us in Tirana.) Similar conditions to Georgia however, so you guys should be ready for it. Together we can take Russia...
The Venue for Wednesday is the Mikheil Meshki Stadium. It was rebuilt in 2001 and has a capacity of about 30,000. The home club is Lokomotiv Tbilisi.
Here is an excellent story about football in Georgia (in German): http://www.sonntagszeitung.ch/sz/szUnterRubrik.html?ausgabeid=2968&rubrikid=147&ArtId=268450 I was quite surprised about several things in that article. I knew things are not all that rosy in Georgia, but had no idea it was this bad. - Georgia's GDP decreased by 70 percent between '91 and '94 - 80 percent are without a job. - Crime runs the country.
Nice location for a stadium. It reminds me of the Yale Bowl or a stadium in that type of design. It would have been better for Switzerland if the Ireland game ended in a tie, but oh well. Lets take three.
- Russia apparently doesn't want to replay its match with Gerogia in Tbilisi. They are asking Uefa to move the game to a neutral venue. The reason s are the incidents that took place during the Ireland game. Georgia vs. Russia was abandoned at halftime (0:0) when the lights stopped working. Yeah right , if we have to play there, then so should they. - The Swiss National team arrived in Tbilisi today. First they had trouble getting to the hotel due to a crash on the road... ...then there was no light at the stadium when the team wanted to practice. The light then finally got turned on and the team was able to hold a training session. The pitch seems to be in pretty bad shape players said. Well, I sure hope they have less problems during the game...
Switzerland line-up Starting XI: --------Zuberbühler---------- Haas--M.Yakin--Müller--Berner Cabanas--Vogel--Wicky--H.Yakin --------Frei--Chapuisat------
Mabye the Georgians are still a little upset at how Stalin treated them. In situiations like Georgia, where nothing seems to be going right, football can be the one escape that these people have. Still knife throwing can not be accepted. I just hate to see all the other spectators be denied the oppourtunity to watch a game because the stupid actions of one.
- Chaos in the Georgian team. Coach Alexander Tschiwadse will step down after the game tomorrow, and forward Temur Kezbaia left the team today.
Here is the preview from Uefa.com: http://www.euro2004.com/competitions/EURO/News/Kind=8192/newsId=62567.html On a side note, I seem to remember reading that Georgia's young keeper was tied with Arsenal (?). Anyone else remember that?
Nice quote from Murat Yakin: "The Georgans are very vulnerable on defense. We will take advantage of it. After saturdays results, we have a golden oppourtunity to take care of everything before summer. By winning here in Tblissi plus at Basel and Geneva against Russia and Albania, our qualification will be earned. We have the possibility to take nine points in these next three matches!" That is the kind of attitude I want from the players. From the coach i would expect a little more reservation, but it is good that the players feel confident.
Georgia: Starting XI Lomaia; Chisaneischwili, Rechwiaschwili, Amisulaschwili; Zkitischwili, Jamarauli, Nemsadse, Kinkladse, Kobiaschwili; Iaschwili, Arweladse As I can see Georgia is playing with two ex-NLA players. Nemsadse used to play for my very own Grasshoppers, while Jamarauli played for FC Zurich. MIA is FC Luzern's Michail Kawelaschwili, who surprisingly didn't get called up this time. This has got to be a disappointment to my little brother who goes to school with Kawelaschwili's son. He was gonna tease him bigtime after today's game
Play-by-Play anywhere online I'm not sure if UEFA.com is having pbp.... and my firewall won't let me listen to rsr. anywhere else I can go for detailed pbp?
Sounds like Georgia is in worse shape than we thought: http://www.euro2004.com/competitions/euro/news/kind=1/newsid=62761.html
livescoe has the game beginning at 18h00. I thought it was 19h00. UEFA.com has it as 19h00. Who is right?