Goals were pouring in from all angles last Friday when Switzerland was outscored by France, 5-2. Now the Swiss have a prime chance of joining their tormentors in advancing to the second stage in a huge game on Wednesday. Standing across the field from them will be the unruly, rough-playing Honduras. Does Switzerland have what it takes to advance to the second stage and potentially win the championship?
If you want to cash in on some of the best soccer teams in the world, this is the time to do it. Read our guide on How to Bet on the World Cup for a full breakdown on World Cup betting, then read on for a detailed breakdown of how this Group E match could play out. For more on the other deciding game in this group, check out our Ecuador vs. France preview.
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Switzerland vs. Honduras, World Cup 2014, Group Stage Predictions and Betting Preview
This is a crucial match for Switzerland. A win means that they take the second spot of Group E if France hands Ecuador a loss. However, if Ecuador pulls off the upset, Switzerland would need to win a high-scoring game to beat Ecuador on goal differential. A loss would almost certainly eliminate the Swiss from contention.
On the other hand, Honduras has a very slim chance at advancing to the second stage even if they win against Switzerland. They’ll need France to defeat Ecuador for a three-way tie for second place. The one to advance will then be decided by means of goal differential (meaning for Honduras to advance, they’ll need to score at least four against Switzerland, and have France defeat Ecuador).
Betting on Switzerland
Switzerland’s defense–the strength of their team–has been poor throughout their 2014 World Cup campaign. They were breached on multiple occasions in their first match against Ecuador, and were even more porous in their match against France.
Against Les Bleus, defender Johan Djourou made a clumsy challenge that resulted in a penalty kick for France’s Karim Benzema. Later on, Philippe Senderos completely missed the ball for a clearance, giving Benzema a welcome opportunity to score.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]Aside from their defensive struggles, Switzerland has also been poor transitioning back to the offensive end of the field, leaving them highly susceptible to counter-attacks. Still, the Swiss should have an easier time on both fronts in this game as Honduras does not possess a threatening counter-attack game.
A pleasant surprise for Switzerland has been their offensive pressure. The team attempted 35 total shots in their first two games. However, they are slow starters, scoring nine of their last 11 World Cup goals in the second half.
Scoring three of their four goals were the Swiss’ more-than-capable substitutes. Admir Mehmedi and Haris Seferovic each scored a goal for a comeback win against Ecuador–the first two goals ever scored by Swiss subs at a World Cup–while Blerim Dzemaili became the first player in the 2014 World Cup to score from a direct free kick against France.
Switzerland’s high-profile players have been involved through two games, but need to find better finish. Xherdan Shaqiri had several attempts and key passes in the hopes of giving his team the lead. Team captain Gokhan Inler, meanwhile, sent a long cross to Granit Xhaka who ended up netting a goal against France.
Switzerland will need to start strong against Honduras. Slacking off in the first half may have them scrambling later on yet again, and a Honduran team playing mostly for pride will undoubtedly fight for the full 90 minutes in this one.
Betting on Honduras
Honduras has been rough to play against in this World Cup, literally. Aside from kicking the ball, they’ve been hacking at legs, as well as pushing and pulling their opposition. The biggest infraction merited a red card and suspension when midfielder Wilson Palacios stepped on France’s Paul Pogba even after being warned for rough play earlier.
The undisciplined play hasn’t helped Honduras, especially given the trouble they’ve had generating chances. The Central Americans only managed four total shots against France, while conceding 63% of the possession. Honduras’ lone goal from Carlo Costly was mostly the result of their opponent’s blunder rather than their own intricate offensive strategy. Honduras has failed to score a goal in four of their last five World Cup games.
Honduras’ woes don’t end there. Their backline has made several mistakes that simply aren’t acceptable at this level. Against Switzerland’s frontline and attacking midfielders, the defense needs to be on high alert for every moment of the match. If they slip up even just a little, a swift counter-attack could put this game out of reach before they even have a chance to have a player ejected.
Writer’s Prediction
Switzerland tears down Honduras’ horrid defense and finds the net repeatedly. Take Switzerland on the spread at -1.5 for some value from a heavy favorite.
