Giant killers Switzerland received a boost ahead of today's game against Chile with the return to fitness of their captain and all-time leading goalscorer Alexander Frei.
Giant killers Switzerland received a boost ahead of today's game against Chile with the return to fitness of their captain and all-time leading goalscorer Alexander Frei.
"Frei is once again 100 percent, ready to play," confirmed coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.
West Ham midfielder Valon Bahrami will be back to action as well for the clash in Port Elizabeth. A win in today's match for Switzerland or Chile will guarantee them a place in the knockout stages.
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, a far easier prospect than Chile's clash with pre-tournament favourites Spain, who will need a win desperately to progress.
"Chile want to qualify before they face Spain in their last group stage game," said Swiss defender Stephan Lichsteiner.
"The team is very strong, the players are so skillful, we must work very hard to stand up to them."
"Switzerland are not favourites, it will be Chile," added coach Hitzfeld, 61, who won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
"Against Honduras, the Chileans were unbelievable and they could have 3-0 or 4-0 instead of 1-0. They are a solid unit, with very fast players. In terms of strategy, we will have to be even more compact than we were against Spain," added Hitzfeld.
However, Chile goalkeeper, Luis Marin said his strikers would go all out on the mean Swiss defence. Marin is confident his side's forwards will come out on top thanks to the attack minded philosophy instilled by 'El Profesor' Bielsa.
"We have a lot of faith in our forwards who can score from any situation," he said.
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