Sweden vs Switzerland: Preview and Betting tips

Sweden vs Switzerland: Preview and Betting tips - Russia 2018 World Cup

Stephan Lichtsteiner of Switzerland warms up prior to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group E match between Serbia and Switzerland at Kaliningrad Stadium on June 22, 2018 in Kaliningrad, Russia.

Dan Mullan/Getty Images Europe

Sweden vs Switzerland
3:00pm July 3rd, 2018
Krestovsky Stadium

What a day it was yesterday as Mexico laboured in vain to crash in the hands of Brazil, while not many pundits fancied the Mexicans, it was the heroics of the Japanese warriors against title contender, Belgium that bewildered lots, two quick second-half goals and the Red Devils were left scrambling for their lives and it took gross inexperience on the parts of the Japanese and sleek intelligence on the part of the Belgians to reverse the seemingly impossible.

To the matter of the day, Sweden got in through the back door, and emphatically too, they were written off after losing late on to Toni Kroos’s free-kick only to take laws into their own brutal hands and annihilate Mexico in broad daylight, making them top the group from nowhere.

Today they face Switzerland, an intelligent team that takes care of the basics and on time too; let’s talk about Switzerland, shall we?

They were disciplined against Brazil and got the point they needed, they were clinical and decisive in patience against Serbia and they won late on, they tested fresh legs against Costa Rica, it didn’t hurt them so don’t expect them to take things easy with Sweden.

Sweden are used to disgracing bookmakers, they made it out of a group that had Argentina, England and Nigeria in 2002 as group winners and were bronze medallists in 1994, they shouldn’t be overlooked, the guts and resilience of this bunch deserves attention, in their skipper, Andreas Granqvist they have a brave warrior that never backs down, the duo of Emil Forsberg and Ola Toivonen have proven that they are ready for it every day, but what version of Switzerland will they face?

This feels like the Croatia-Denmark affair one more time, they will cancel themselves out in midfield where Granit Xhaka and Valon Behrami will run the show, who wants it more?

Verdict: Switzerland to advance