2010 FIFA World Cup Predictions: Switzerland
Written by Jack Jones
Four years after not allowing a single goal in the 2006 finals in Germany, Switzerland will make the trip to South Africa to partake in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in hopes of repeating the same ferocious effort defensively. This side will be making their ninth appearance at the finals, and according to the 2010 World Cup odds they are expected to finish in the middle of the pack. Check out these odds at Sportsbook.com and also get your hands on a 10% bonus up to $100 while you’re there to bet on the World Cup.
Switzerland is +20000 to take down the Jules Rimet Trophy. A $100 wager would profit you $20,000 if this were to come true. For it to happen, Switzerland will have to be at their best defensively against a Group H that is loaded with strikers and goal-scoring. Pre-tournament favorites, Spain (+400), along with Chile (+6600) will pose the biggest threats to the Swiss. Also in this group is Honduras (+50000). They get things started with Spain on June 16th, followed by Chile on June 21st and then Honduras on June 25th.
Switzerland made back-to-back quarter-finals showings in 1934 and 1938 to open their play at the World Cup, where they would lose to Czechoslovakia and Hungary respectively, each of who went on to lose in the final. They would return in 1950 after a 12-year hiatus due to World War II, where they would get knocked out in the first round despite a 2-1 win over Mexico and a draw with Brazil, who went on to finish as runners-up. In 1954 as hosts, the Swiss would return to the quarter-finals which included two wins over Italy in the process. They would play in the highest-scoring match in World Cup history against Austria in the quarters that year, blowing a 3-goal lead and eventually losing 5-7. They gave up 5 of those goals in a seven-minute span in the first half.
The Swiss would not win another match for 44 years after going winless in their 1962 and 1966 World Cup campaigns. In 1994, the Swiss beat Romania 4-1 which got them through to the second round, where Spain was waiting for them and handed Switzerland a 3-0 drubbing. In 2006, the Schweizer Nati would become the first team in tournament history to get knocked out of the World Cup without conceding a single goal. They drew 0-0 to France to open that year, followed by successive 2-0 wins over Togo and South Korea to advance to the second round. There, they would finish tied 0-0 with Ukraine, but a heartbreaking 3-1 loss on penalties would prevent the Swiss from advancing. Switzerland’s overall record at the finals features 26 matches played, 8 wins, 5 draws and 13 losses.
Switzerland won their qualifying group ahead of Greece and Israel. A 2-1 loss to Luxembourg in their second game had the nation worried, but six wins in their next eight games would help seal their fate to South Africa. This run included home and away wins over Greece, who is also in the field of 32 this year. The Swiss finished qualifying with 10 matches played, 6 wins, 3 draws and only 1 loss. They recorded 18 goals for and 8 against.
Boss Ottmar Hitzfeld took over the reins after Switzerland’s poor showing at UEFA EURO 2008. He coached both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich previously, and he’s only one of two bosses to win the Champions League with two different clubs. This side has a nice blend of youth and experience, with youngsters like Eren Derdiyok, Tranquillo Barnetta and goalkeeper Diego Benaglio proving the spark, and Alexander Frei and Blaise N’Kufo providing the experience. Frei is Switzerland’s all-time leading scorer with 40 goals in 71 international matches, and he and N’Kufo combined to find the back of the net 9 times in qualifying. Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos is their stopper defensively.
The Swiss will be needing to be on top of their game defensively if they are to get past Spain and/or Chile in this group. Both squads can score goals in bunches, but Switzerland has the duo of Frei and N’Kufo who will need to make the most of their opportunities like they did in qualifying to advance. In the end, I think Spain and Chile have too much firepower for the Swiss, but after not allowing a single goal in the 2006 finals, it’s hard to count them out.
One Response to “2010 FIFA World Cup Predictions: Switzerland”
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that will be a great fun at fifa world cup,,i had already done the bookings and fully prepared for the cup,,this will be a memorable sport,,,