Key events
Just had a glance at the weather in Inglewood California.
It’s a mild 22 C. Nowhere near hot enough to warrant a hydration break. But we’ll have one anyway.
Look, I know you’re bored of all the moaning about advert breaks drinks breaks, but this is my first MBM. So let me have that one if you don’t mind.
We’ve got our first email of the night.
It’s from Kári Tulinius who straddle the game that’s just gone and the game to come like a pro:
Hello Daniel,
You’re not wrong about Bafana Bafana’s performance, but the Czechs didn’t deserve a win after spending the second half being as proactive as a block of cheese. That’s how I feel about the Swiss performance against Qatar too, though they weren’t quite as negative. If other teams learn from the Czechs and Swiss not to try to sit on a one goal lead, that will be good for the competition.
To be fair ti Switzerland, they did create more opportunities to score a second against Qatar. They just wasted every one.
How about some analysis on the teams then.
Switzerland have made two changes to the side that fluffed it against Qatar.
In comes right back Silvan Widmer who replaces Denis Zakaria (who is more of a midfielder) and Fabian Rieder will hopefully provide more passing through the lines than Ruben Vargas.
Bosnia have handed a starting berth to their skipper and 40-year-old talisman Edin Dzeko. Ivab Sunjic replaces Ivan Basic and the 18-year-old winger Kerim Alajbegovic starts in place of Esmir Bajraktarevic.
It’s as if both teams are telegraphing their intent. Bosnia will look to break at pace and stick in the mixer as often as they can. Switzerland will want to boss possession.
I’m hoping we get to see Alajbegovic in a 1-v-1 situation against 33-year-old Widmer. I’ve got a feeling that could be a tasty match-up.
While we get through the gears and build towards kick-off, here are my two favourite bits from my colleagues today:
Jonny Liew (as you’d expect) is brilliant here:
And David Squires (as you’d expect) is brilliant here:
They are two very talented men, aren’t they?
South Africa salvaged a draw in the game that’s just concluded.
If you think I’ve been too harsh on my compatriots, drop Daniel Harris a line as he wraps up the blog on 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 quite do or die, but there’s loads at stake as a victory in this one could be enough to secure passage to the last 32.
Switzerland blew it against Qatar as they wasted a load of opportunities before conceding a 94th minute equaliser. Bosnia and Herzegovina weren’t pegged back as late as that, but they were 1-0 ahead against Canada until the 78th minute in their opening game.
With Group B in a grid-lock, four teams locked on a single point, any side that can get ahead of traffic with a win in this second round will feel pretty good about their chances of reaching the knockouts.
Switzerland will likely lean on their possession-based approach and back themselves to eventually make the pressure tell. They had 26 shots against Qatar, so chance creation clearly isn’t the problem. The question is whether they can move the ball quickly enough to pull Bosnia’s defensive block out of shape rather than just racking up territory and hopeful efforts.
B&H are expected to sit deep and break on the counter, looking to spring runners into the channels whenever Switzerland’s full-backs push on. And with some tall timber in the ranks, they’ll be a real threat at set pieces, especially if this becomes one of those tense, second-ball-heavy World Cup scraps.
With modern football tactics flattening so many differences between teams, this may come down to something beautifully old-fashioned: who takes their chances, who defends their box, and who keeps their head when the group starts to squeeze.
I’m looking forward to this one, primarily as a palate cleanser after my fellow South Africans once again stank out the place with an inept performance. After hat-watching Bafana Bafana, I can sit back and enjoy this.
Any thoughts? Drop me a mail
Kick-off at 8pm BST/5am AEST/12pm in California.
Teams and other bits to come.
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