FIFA World Cup Live Score: Sweden and Switzerland will take on each other at St Petersburg.Sweden vs Switzerland, FIFA World Cup 2018 LIVE Score: Switzerland started strong early in the first half in their round of 16 match against Sweden at St Petersburg. Both Swiss and Swedes played the same side, however, the former took the pitch without Stephan Lichsteiner and Fabian Schar. Sweden will be playing the classic 4-4-2 formation. It means that the Swedes would again be having more of a defensive approach and will rely on counter-attacks.
As for the Swiss, they will be taking the pitch with a much more direct approach. They are playing a 4-2-3-1. The formation suggests that the majority of attacks would be from the middle with the fullbacks running through the pitch.
WATCH| Sweden vs Switzerland LIVE Streaming Online
The Swiss will take the pitch as a more transformed side, but only a win would secure a lasting legacy for their so-called ‘Golden generation’. Rossocrociati and Blagult have arrived in Russia with a completely different approach. Switzerland on one hand, have played a more direct football with composure, on the other hand, Swedes have been more defensive and relied on counter-attacking football.
Highlights
Halftime: Sweden 0, Switzerland 0
Switzerland’s Starting Lineup
Sweden vs Switzerland: Formation
Sweden’s Starting Lineup
Playing XI: Sweden vs Switzerland
After some passes around the outskirts of the box, Emil Forsberg cranks a shot from the half moon. It takes a little deflection off defender Manuel Akanji, and goes in! For now FIFA has it scored as a Forsberg goal, but it could be an own goal depending on your interpretation.
Switzerland comes right back. Josip Drmic sends what could’ve been a dangerous ball into the box but nobody takes advantage.
After Marcus Berg creates a chance, Ola Toivonen gets the first shot for Sweden, but sends it well over.
Seven shots for each team, but Switzerland dominated possession, 66-34 percent and made 312 passes to the Swedes’ 156. Switzerland has completed 270 of those passes, Sweden 111.
You would still make Switzerland the favorite, but any result is possible at this point. Well, probably not a 5-4 thriller.
Switzerland had the better offense, but Sweden’s smothering defense was up to the challenge. The result: 0-0 game.
For Switzerland, Rodriguez takes a corner, and Shaqiri tries some fancy stepovers. But nothing is working as Sweden have all 10 men in the box
Switzerland finds Steven Zuber in the box, but he doesn’t get a good head on it and floats one over the bar.
Switzerland finds Steven Zuber in the box, but he doesn’t get a good head on it and floats one over the bar.
A good passing sequence for Sweden ends with Lustig shanking a ball sideways straight to Switzerland. On the other end, Shaqiri’s cross is too high for Josip Drmic. Both sides have had chances early, but Sweden’s have been more threatening.
Another blast over the bar for Sweden. It’s Berg again, but his shot is blocked. Ekdal rushes in to get the rebound but sends one into the stands. Switzerland has left itself a little open at the back in the last couple of minutes.
Zuber of Switzerland with a nice dribble and a curling shot, but the keeper is right there.
Switzerland’s Blerim Dzemaili draws an early whistle from referee Damir Skomina. Free kick for Sweden.
The teams have lined up to stand for the national anthem. Its a beautiful view and it is sunny at the St Petersburg. Swiss win toss and opt side.
Goalkeeper: 1 Yann Sommer (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Defenders: 5 Manuel Akanji (Borussia Dortmund), 20 Johan Djourou (Antalyaspor), 6 Michael Lang (Basel), 13 Ricardo Rodriguez (Milan)
Midfielders: 11 Valon Behrami (Udinese), 15 Blerim Dzemaili (Bologna), 23 Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City), 10 Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), 14 Steven Zuber (1899 Hoffenheim)
Forward: 19 Josip Drmic (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Sweden will be playing the classic 4-4-2 formation. It means that the Swedes would again be having more of a defensive approach and will rely on counter-attacks. As for the Swiss, they will be taking the pitch with a much more direct approach. They are playing a 4-2-3-1. The formation suggests that the majority of attacks would be from the middle with the fullbacks running through the pitch.
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Goalkeeper: 1 Robin Olsen (Copenhagen)
Defenders: 2 Mikael Lustig (Celtic), 3 Victor Lindelof (Manchester United), 4 Andreas Granqvist (Krasnador), 6 Ludwig Augustinsson (Werder Bremen)
Midfielders: 8 Albin Ekdal (Hamburg), 10 Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig), 13 Gustav Svensson (Seattle Sounders), 17 Viktor Claesson (Krasnador)
Forwards: 9 Marcus Berg (Al Ain), 20 Ola Toivonen (Toulouse)
The epitome of Spanish football, the master of clinical through passes Andres Iniesta wore the La Roja jersey for the last time against Russia.
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Both the teams qualified for the World Cup via playoffs after finishing second in their respective groups. Sweden finished behind France, which has advanced to the quarterfinals, while Switzerland was edged by Portugal, which ... ooops.
• Sweden beat South Korea, lost to Germany, then drilled Mexico, 3-0, to advance. Its leading goal-scorer is Andreas Granqvist, a 33-year-old defender who is the team’s captain. Both of his two goals were penalties. Granqvist’s wife is due to give birth any day now in Sweden.
• After scoring goals in the Serbia game, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri made double eagle gestures, an allusion to the Albanian flag. The gesture was seen as provocative because Xhaka and Shaqiri have roots in Kosovo, an ethnically Albanian province that fought a war of independence against Serb-dominated Yugoslav forces in the late 1990s. They were fined, and the gestures did not return against Costa Rica.
• One of these teams will be going into recently uncharted regions. Sweden made the semifinals in the 1994 World Cup in the United States, but hasn’t been past the round of 16 since. Switzerland hasn’t advanced further than this since its home World Cup in 1954.
• Sweden’s Emil Forsberg has a dubious distinction: He has six shots off target, tied for the most at the Cup. (He does have two shots on target as well as four blocked shots.)
• Switzerland showed its mettle in a come-from-behind draw with Brazil, then beat Serbia (again from behind), before a draw with Costa Rica. Five players share the team’s five goals.
• Sebastian Larsson will be missing for Sweden through injury. Stephan Lichtsteiner and Fabian Schar are suspended for Switzerland.
• Bookmakers consider this game a close one, but Switzerland is a slight favourite.
• Skomina of Slovenia will be the referee.
Skipper Stephan Lichsteiner and Fabian Schar will be missing the match due to suspension.
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* Switzerland's two draws and one win in Group E was the first time the team have gone unbeaten in the group stages of a World Cup since 2006.
* Group F winners Sweden have now progressed to the last 16 in all of their World Cup appearances since 1990.