Switzerland

www.switzerland.com

World Ranking 35

Squad

Team Review

Switzerland as co host of the tournament could ruffle a few feathers as I’m sure the support they will receive will act as a twelfth player and lift their game. Another reason I believe they could qualify into the knock out stages is their new man of the moment Tranquillo Barnetta who has been playing out of his skin at club level. The Swiss will be hoping he translates his electric form on to the international stage.

Star Man

Alexander Frei, has scored a hat full of goals for his club side Rennes this season with the whole of Switzerland hoping that he can rediscover his club form on the international stage.

Also check out who we think will be the 'players to watch' in the tournament

Tournament History

Match Reports

Switzerland 0 - 1 Czech Republic

(Sverkos 70)

The Euro 2008 co-hosts Switzerland went down fighting in the opening match of the tournament, losing by a solitary goal to the 2004 semi-finalists Czech Republic in the Group A game at St Jakob Park in Basel on Saturday afternoon.
Substitute Vaclav Sverkos’ late goal proved to be the winner for the Czechs who, were second-best during the game compared to the spirited hosts.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech made some important saves to carry his side to a perfect start, as he repeatedly foiled all attempts by the Swiss, who lost their best player of the first half - Alexander Frei - just before half-time to a serious knee injury.
The Czech team managed to muster another a clear chance which went begging for Karel Bruckner’s side when giant striker Jan Koller failed to get his head onto a cross from Jaroslav Plasil from the left flank.
Kuhn in an effort to induce more cutting edge an attack into the side, sent on Johan Vonlanthen in the 75th minute taking off defender Stephan Lichtsteiner and going with just 3 men in defence.
The hosts were unlucky not to have equalised in the 80th minute when a fierce low shot by Tranquillo Barnetta was parried only as far as Vonlanthen, who then struck the frame of the goal with the rebound. In a frantic finale, Switzerland nearly snatched a late equaliser when Derdiyok sent a header just over the cross bar, and to make matter worse for the host nation referee Roberto Rosetti disregarded protests from Swiss team over a handball in the closing seconds.
All in all Switzerland had the chances to get something from this game but failed to do so and let an average Czech performance beat them in the opening game in front of thousands of eager fans. The one thing they can take from the game is that they never gave up and in doing so showed real resilience in game that really in all honesty could have gone either way.

Switzerland 1 - 2 Turkey

(Yakin 32) (Senturk 57, Turan 90+2)

The game kicked off with rain hammering down onto the pitch which within roughly 10 minutes looked like the game was looking as though it should be called off with players running with the ball and the ball just stopping, and passes not travelling along the pitch but the match continued but as a result the football was not flowing to say the least.

Half an hour had past in the match when the Swiss fashioned a chance with Derdiyok making it past his man and laying a ball off into the area toward Hakan Yakin who thanks to the terrible pitch managed to slot it home past Demirel who had no chance as the ball stopped to halt perfectly in front of the Swiss midfielder.

Until half time play continued but very little happened in terms of opportunities as the pitch was so water logged the ball barely travelled.

After half time the rain died down plus the pitch had been treated by the groundsman which helped considerable as the Turks got into their stride and took on the Swiss after Terim switched the tactics round and came out with a more attack minded formation which paid dividends in the 57th minutes as Senturk pulled one back for the Turks which sent the Turkish fans into raptures which then transcended down to the team who carried on pushing the Swiss up until the last minute where they pulled off a great escape and saved their European campaign by scoring in stoppage time with a deflected shot from midfielder Arda Turan which sent the hosts crashing out of the tournament.

Switzerland 2 - 0 Portugal

(Yakin 71, 83(pen))

The game had no real meaning to it following the Swiss exit and Portugal qualifying as group winners which was a huge factor in Portugal’s team selection changing 9 players from the team that had previously beaten the Czech Republic. The Swiss on the other hand went out with a lot to prove to their adoring fans as they have not won a game this tournament and as hosts that isn’t good enough. The game wasn’t excellent but did provide a few highlights notably the performance of Quaresma who is one of the players really pushing for a place in the starting line up against Germany in the Quarter final.

Apart from Quaresma and Nani the Portuguese team never really got going and were to pay for that by going one nil down after 71 minutes after a neat flick from Eren Derdiyok to Yakin who fired a shot underneath Ricardo. The second goal came again from Yakin after he put away a penalty in the 83rd minute to give Kobi Kuhn a win in his final game in charge of the Swiss national team to give him a dignified send off for a coach who in the eyes of the Swiss fans thoroughly deserved it.