1 hour ago
Key events
South Africa salvaged a tie successful nan crippled that’s conscionable concluded.
If you deliberation I’ve been excessively harsh connected my compatriots, driblet Daniel Harris a statement arsenic he wraps up nan blog connected that one:
Teams
Switzerland 4-3-3: Kobel; Widmer, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka (c), Aebischer; Rieder, Embolo, Ndoye.
Substitutes: Mvogo, Keller, Coemert, Amenda, Jaquez, Zakaria, Manzambi, Jashari, Sow, Fassnacht, Vargas, Okafor, Amdouni, Itten.
Bosnia & Herzogvina 4-4-2: Vasilj; Muharemovic, Kolasinac, Katic, Dedic; Tahirovic, Sunjic, Memic, , Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko (c).
Substitutes: Jurkas, Zlomislic, Mujakic, Hadzikadunic, Radeljic, Malic, Gigovic, Basic, Hadziahmetovic, Burnic, Mahmic, Bazdar, Bajraktarevic, Tabakovic, Lukic.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
It’s not rather do aliases die, but there’s loads astatine liking arsenic a triumph successful this 1 could beryllium capable to unafraid transition to nan past 32.
Switzerland blew it against Qatar arsenic they wasted a load of opportunities earlier conceding a 94th infinitesimal equaliser. Bosnia and Herzegovina weren’t pegged backmost arsenic precocious arsenic that, but they were 1-0 up against Canada until nan 78th infinitesimal successful their opening game.
With Group B successful a grid-lock, 4 teams locked connected a azygous point, immoderate broadside that tin get up of postulation pinch a triumph successful this 2nd information will consciousness beautiful bully astir their chances of reaching nan knockouts.
Switzerland will apt thin connected their possession-based attack and backmost themselves to yet make nan unit tell. They had 26 shots against Qatar, truthful chance creation intelligibly isn’t nan problem. The mobility is whether they tin move nan shot quickly capable to propulsion Bosnia’s protect artifact retired of style alternatively than conscionable racking up territory and hopeful efforts.
B&H are expected to beryllium heavy and break connected nan counter, looking to outpouring runners into nan channels whenever Switzerland’s full-backs push on. And pinch immoderate gangly timber successful nan ranks, they’ll beryllium a existent threat astatine group pieces, particularly if this becomes 1 of those tense, second-ball-heavy World Cup scraps.
With modern shot strategies flattening truthful galore differences betwixt teams, this whitethorn travel down to thing beautifully old-fashioned: who takes their chances, who defends their box, and who keeps their caput erstwhile nan group starts to squeeze.
I’m looking guardant to this one, chiefly arsenic a palate cleanser aft my chap South Africans erstwhile again stank retired nan spot pinch an inept performance. After hat-watching Bafana Bafana, I tin beryllium backmost and bask this.
Any thoughts? Drop maine a mail
Kick-off astatine 8pm BST/5am AEST/12pm successful California.
Teams and different bits to come.
