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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2′ – CLEARED by Switzerland.
An early ball floated in from a free kick – expect this all night from Sweden – but their header across goal is cleared easily.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Both clubs are in their traditional strips. Sweden in their yellow and Switzerland their red jersey
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
KICK OFF
And we’re underway in St.Petersburg
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
No structural tweaks to either team’s formations.
Sweden will run out with their high functioning 4-4-2 – but expect left midfielder Emil Forsberg to float in between the lines.
Switzerland run a 4-2-3-1, but Xherdan Shaqiri lines up in the right but will pop up all over the midfield
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Both countries hoping to turn the tide of history in this match. Both have a great record of being knocked out at this stage. Not since 1994 when a plucky Swedish team made a semi final have either team appeared in a quarter final.
That will all change today.
The winner will take on the winner of England and Colombia – today’s 4am AEST Kick off
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Sweden v Switzerland line-ups
Sweden: Olsen, Lustig, Lindelof, Granqvist, Augustinsson, Claesson, Svensson, Ekdal, Forsberg, Berg, Toivonen.
Switzerland: Sommer, Lang, Djourou, Akanji, Rodriguez, Behrami, Xhaka, Shaqiri, Dzemaili, Zuber, Drmic.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
The line-ups are in, and the changes are largely enforced through the build of of Yellows in the group stage.
Switzerland are hardest hit, with the entire right side of their defense removed. Arsenal-bound Lichtsteiner is out for Michael Lang, where as former Arsenal man Johan Djourou comes in for Fabian Schar.
Steven Zuber and Josip Drmic come in up front, with Embolo and Gavranovic making way.
Sweden make one forced change Sebastian Larsson is out with two yellows, and Seattle Sounders midfielder Gustav Svensson comes in.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Welcome all. After the twists and turns of this World Cup so far, anything could happen in this match up. Don’t go anywhere!
It’s a mild day in Saint Petersburg, a big difference to some of the extreme heat in the southern cities of this tournament. It’s 18 degrees for this one, and a reasonable chance of rain (53%) throughout.
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog
Agree 100% with AGO -it’s pathways that bring young players through into a football that you want to play (which for Uruguay is pragmatic, counter attacking and a mix of potential structures)
In Australia we lump parents of half decent kids with exorbitant fees and close elite youth leagues for nearly a decade.
We might find a striker or two if we actually tried to develop them
England's shot at redemption as Uruguay shows what the Roos are missing
Also, Bob, what are your thoughts on the use of magnets to get the Socceroos through?
This is how Australia will win the next World Cup
MORE TIM MORE OFTEN!
FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!
This is how Australia will win the next World Cup
wide out on the RIGHT, of course
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
Agreed Stevo. It was one of those weird games were both teams played pretty well – but one team just looked a class above.
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
MATCH SUMMARY
Brazil finish the group phase on top of Group E, defeating Serbia tonight to knock them out and set up a round of 16 playoff with Mexico. Goals from Paulinho after an epic run into the box, and Thiago Silva with a “Serbian-esque” thunderous header from a corner – and against the run of play – were the difference in a match were both teams spoilt other great opportunities.
The 2-0 result was a good and fitting result, despite Serbia making enough chances to have equalised when the game was at 1-0.
Although it wasn’t a full 90 minute samba, there were enough moments of brilliance tonight from Brazil to point to a long stay in this tournament. Neymar, Coutinho and Willian (more-so in the second half) combined brilliantly to wear down the Serbian midfield and got in behind them time and time again. Like Serbia, Brazil also missed opportunities. The finishing of striker Gabriel Jesus let them down in big moments, and if those chances were taken more ruthlessly the margin may have been greater. Neymar also wasn’t quite as cutthroat as he can be in those confined spaces that he usually thrives in.
Brazil’s 59% share of possession and 6 shots on target to Serbia’s 2 underlined the difference in quality between the two teams. Even when Serbia had time on the ball, they were pushed wide by the Brazilian midfield. And once goal-scorer Paulinho was replaced with the more defensive Fernandinho, Serbia had no space to create higher quality chances.
Serbia battled manfully but ultimately lacked the quality of their South American opponents, and their finishing was as profligate as Neymar and Jesus. Their best chance wasn’t taken by Mitrovic in what was close facsimile of his goal against Switzerland, and indeed Mitrovic seemed to be not quite on his game for this match when his country desperately needed him.
The big concern for Brazil will be the mysterious injury to Marcelo who trudged off very early in the first half. But the form of his replacement Felipe Luis was comforting – if not exhilarating – and he was an important figure playing short triangles on the left in behind Coutinho and Neymar.
Brazil have 5 days to prepare for their game on Tuesday (12am AEST) against Mexico, and will hope both Marcelo and Douglas Costa (who couldn’t be used tonight) will gain fitness and create some selection dilemmas. The extra rest days can also only be a good thing for Neymar, who had an excellent game but is probably still short of match fitness.
The man of the match was Coutinho, who bossed the game in the first half and played that memorable through-ball for Paulinho’s goal. If Neymar can find his shooting range then the combination of Neymar and Coutinho will be irrepressible and could be the difference as Brazil shoot for a place on the dias in Moscow.
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
The other match is over, and it’s ended 2-2…. although reports suggest Switzerland were lucky to get a point from it!
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
FULL TIME
Brazil go through 2-0.
A thrilling, end to end second half and Serbia will be disappointed not to have at least scored tonight.
But Brazil were the better team for the 90. Neymar had an excellent game only let down by some poor finishing.
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
93′ – BLOCKED Neymar is played through but Stojkovic continues to win their personal duel and gets down to block. Neymar will go goal less tonight but put in an excellent shift.
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
90′ – CHANCE. Zivkovic tries one from wide out on the range which flies over
There’ll be 3 minutes of extra time
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
Switzerland have taken the lead in the other game. Not sure what impact that has on this one, other than to inspire Brazil not to concede thrice
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
Serbia pressing in attack, getting as many men forward as possible
They’ve made another SUBSTITUTION as well, with Jovic on for Mitrovic who is probably completely out of gas
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
89′ – CLEARED, another wicked chance for Brazil that is blocked in the box. An extraordinary diagonal ball from Fernandinho is picked up on the other side by Neymar, but he can’t settle to get a higher quality shot off, and Serbia walk it out
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
86′ – SAVED! good positioning and awareness from Stojkovic. A wicked deflection bobbled to Neymar – who was integral in the lead-up play – and he was on it like a flash. His little poke over the keeper was swatted away by the keeper doing his best impression of Dikembe Mutombo
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
As it stands, Brazil will take on Mexico in the round of 16, and Switzerland will get Sweden in what might be a very even encounter.
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
Serbia are running out of time and ideas here. There is no space in midfield for them to work into
Serbia vs Brazil: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, scores, blog
Patient build-up play from Switzerland here, with Sweden camped back in their box.
They will sit deep and invite the Swiss to come at them, then look to counter at pace
Sweden vs Switzerland: 2018 FIFA World Cup highlights, live scores, blog