As the surprise leaders of Group H ahead of Spain, Chile and Switzerland share the same goal in their Monday clash in Port Elizabeth. But the two teams are likely to take sharply different approaches to their bid to make it to the Round of 16.
Switzerland adopted an uncompromising defensive posture to earn the shock result of the tournament in beating Spain 1-0 last week.
With coach Ottmar Hitzfeld pronouncing Chile as the confirmed favourites for Monday’s game, it’s a sure thing that the Swiss players will once again protect their goal with an alpine-like barrier and hope once again to hit their opponents with a devastating counter-attack or two.
Chile, on the other hand, will display the strong running, swift movement and sublime individual skills that enabled them to dominate Honduras.
They will also hope for more clinical finishing in front of goal than they displayed against their central American opponents in which the 1-0 scoreline could easily have been four or five to nil.
A win for either team will guarantee their place in the last round. But a tie will do more for the Swiss than the Chileans. That’s because Switzerland will face Honduras in the last game of the first round, while Chile play Spain.
“Chile want to qualify before they face Spain in their last group stage game,” said Swiss defender Stephan Lichsteiner.