Roar Guru
Joined April 2018
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Stats hungry sports nerd fancies any code with a ball and boots. Football being a prime example of this. I love the A-League as much as a mother could love a child who graduates to become a middle manager at a bank. Follow me on Twitter @ljgillard
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HALF TIME
The half ends with a deep cross from Rodriguez on the left for Switzerland that is too close to Olsen and he’s fouled as he comes out to collect.
There’s no goals in this one so far, and no one’s really grabbing this game by the scruff of the neck.
Sweden 0 – Switzerland 0
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
45′ – A FREE KICK here for Switzerland and Shaqiri floats a ball in but Olsen comes out to meet it. Again there’s no one there in the box with any presence for Switzerland.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
44′ – Well there’s another good period of build-up for Switzerland but they can’t find a forward in the box.
Shaqiri who pops up on the left squares a low cross across goal but there’s no one there on the end of it.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Sweden were in the group with the Netherlands who they finished ahead of and then beat Italy over two legs!
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
40′ – A MISS! A shocking miss from Ekdal here! It’s a sustained run of possession for the Swedes, including a corner that is cleared but it’s worked to Lustig who’s cross floats to the back post where Ekdal is all alone for the volley. He really just needed a faint touch on that to poke it into the net.
That’s the best chance of the game so far!
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
38′ – OVER THE BAR, and a really great chance squandered here from Dzemili. He won’t look back on that effort with pride.
A brilliant one-two with Zuber on the edge of the box plays Dzemili into some space inside the box but his right hand shot slices it over the bar.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
36′ – CORNER to Switzerland. Rodriguez’s cross is cleared by Sweden out for a corner, and Shaqiri pulls the trigger from the clearance but it’s blocked by Swedish bodies
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
34′ – OVER THE BAR from Granit Xhaka – a specialty from him which is worth the chance. The Swedes retreat to offer him space which he cant’ exploit from 40 yards.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
33′ – A clearance from Sweden there. Rodriguez swings in a deep cross from the left but Sweden have men back on the line.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Right back Lustig is given a yellow card for his chop down of Behrami there. That’s him out for the next game if Sweden go through.
And it’s a dangerous spot for a free kick here, with Rodriguez trying to fool the keeper with a very long shot on goal, but Olsen catches it comfortably.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
28′ – Brilliantly SAVED by Sommer from Berg’s shot!
Uncharacteristically patient build up from Sweden on the left where Augustinsson can finally get his cross in which floats to the back post where Berg pokes a shot at Sommer.
Good play there from Sweden
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
27′ – Some Swiss build up play from the left this time – nearly all the play has been through the right for Switzerland – but Zuber’s advances are blocked by the Swedish wall and Ekdal clears.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
26′ – Well that’s a good chance set-up from Lang to Zuber.
The Swiss aren’t afraid to pump balls in here, but they’ll need to be inch perfect with these big Swedish centerbacks
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
24′ – SAVED by Sommer.
Forsberg wins the free kick in midfield and their long free kick is flicked on from Berg but intercepted easily by Goalkeeper Sommer off his line.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
19′ – Good defending from Sweden. The Swiss are bringing Shaqiri into the play from the right and he’s looking for balls over the top to Drmic and Dzemili. One of these might come off, but Man U’s Lindelof and captain Granqvist will be tricky to break down, especially with aerial balls.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Sweden are right on the Swiss when they’re in their defensive third, with Behrami having to come very deep to help his defenders.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Well some very nervy defending on the ball from the Swiss. Their hearts are in their mouth when they’re on the ball trying to play through the Swedish press.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
14′ – Shaqiri’s cross from the right sails WIDE for Switzerland, unable to find striker Drmic’s forehead.
Some quicker tempo build up there for Switzerland, who really need to find these positions before the Swedes can get into to their defensive shape
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Well you really can’t blink if the ball is in the Swiss half.
Sweden are pressing heavily and then passing directly trying to release a forward.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
11′ – SAVED as Olsen intercepts a throughball into his area.
Shaqiri chips a ball into the box for Dzemili but he can’t get on the end of it and Olsen hugs it to his chest
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
8′ – OVER THE BAR from Ekdal!
Well some nervy play from the Swiss, trying to play out of the back through the Swedish press, and they’ve turned it over again but Ekdal’s ambitious effort at the edge of the box is hit over.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
8′ – A GREAT CHANCE squandered by Berg!
He is played in and he’s one of one at the edge of the 18 yard box but he blasts it over the bar!
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
7′ – Zuber’s shot is SAVED by Olsen
Zuber is presented with the ball and a small amount of space on the left side of the box, but his cutback is tamely hit at Olsen
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
6′ – Well a dangerous ball in from Lang on the right, headed away with ease.
The Swiss get drawn into a direct ball in, with Sweden offering no room to the Swiss midfield to play into
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
It’s a midfield arm wrestle so far with neither team clearly on top.
Switzerland have dominated possession (67%) but that suits Sweden’s game plan. Both teams have been wasteful with their chances and Switzerland haven’t cracked the code yet to break Sweden’s defense open. They have relied on early crosses into the box but striker Drmic isn’t a big enough presence to beat the giant Swedish centrebacks in the air.
As we approached half time the Swiss were able to penetrate a little deeper and created a couple of good chances – namely to Dzemili who needed more composure on the shot to seize the go-ahead goal.
Sweden have also made chances – Ekdal missing a sitter deep into that half – but their passing accuracy has been off so far (only 66% accuracy) and they haven’t been able to work Emil Forsberg into the play.
So far the scoreline looks a fair reflection of the game.
Both sides will need to tinker with their approach, especially the Swiss, if they want to get anything out of this.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog