A1: Switzerland 0 - 1 Czech Republic - 07/06/08

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Euro 2008, Group A
Switzerland v Czech Republic

Stadium: St. Jakob-Park, Basel
Kick-off: Saturday, 7 June 2008, 18.00h

[Buddha14]

This Will be close game. The Swiss never conceded at the World Cup which is a great achievement. The Czechs will struggle without Rosicky masterminding the attacks. Koller is getting older and losing it. Baros cant score. there only hope is that Petr Cech can single-handedly (pun intended) stop them which is highly unlikely

[z187]

I think this match will be a draw

[z187]

0-0 is my prediction.

[Daniel24]

Im really hoping that the swiss can win this one because Portugal is going to face a tough challenge with the Czech and I dont want the Czech to pull ahead of Portugal if they do win..

[z187]

well from a Portuguese perspective, I think we would like a draw in this match and a win for Portugal against Turkey.

I want Portugal to guarentee qualification after the first two matches... you dont want to go into the final match against the host with qualification on the line... it often is a disaster.

[Daniel24]

Originally Posted by z187

well from a Portuguese perspective, I think we would like a draw in this match and a win for Portugal against Turkey.

I want Portugal to guarentee qualification after the first two matches... you dont want to go into the final match against the host with qualification on the line... it often is a disaster.

The thing is I know Portugal can take the Swiss. I just dont think they can take Czech... Lets say Portugal wins vs the Turks and The Swiss win here. Then when Portugal faces Czech, if they lose Portugal will have 3 points czech with 3 and swiss with either 3,4, or 5 and turkey with 0,1,3. Then all Portugal has to do is win vs Swiss and the take first unless Czech wins the Turks.. Im just saying I think that if this game ends a draw and Portugal lose to Czech when their time comes up then Portugal is done.

[Vargas_4]

I think both teams will cancel each other out.

1-1

[Daniel24]

PREVIEW-Soccer-Euro-Swiss co-hosts meet Czechs in opening match

BASEL, June 6 (Reuters) - Euro 2008 gets underway on Saturday with co-hosts Switzerland pitting their promising young team against an experienced Czech Republic side (1600 GMT) keen to prove their best days are not behind them.

Koebi Kuhn’s Swiss squad are one of the youngest at these finals but include several players who have already experienced two major tournaments.

“Our players have developed and ripened since the 2006 World Cup,” captain Alex Frei told reporters at the team’s base camp.

“I believe in the quality of the team and I know it is hungry for success. We want to write history and now have the chance to do so in our own country.”

The former Czechoslovakia won Euro 1976 and recent successes for the side include an appearance in the 1996 final and a run to the 2004 semi-finals.

But the international retirements of Karel Poborsky and Pavel Nedved along with the loss through injury of captain Tomas Rosicky have raised doubts over the pedigree of this squad.

“I don’t know why people would say we are not as good as we were before,” midfielder David Jarolim told reporters at the team’s training ground in Seefeld, Austria.

“We have qualified for the last three tournaments in a row. That shows how strong we are and we will prove it again at Euro 2008.”

PROLIFIC STRIKERS

Neutral fans will hope to see plenty of goals with the Group A game bringing together two of the tournament’s most prolific strikers.

Frei has scored 35 times in 59 matches for Switzerland while towering Czech forward Jan Koller boasts a record of 54 goals in 87 internationals.

Switzerland will struggle to contain the 2.02-metre tall Koller, particularly with regular central defender Patrick Mueller yet to prove his match fitness after missing the majority of the season through injury.

“We won’t be man-marking Koller,” said Swiss assistant coach Michel Pont. “Our team has coped with Zinedine Zidane (of France) and plenty of other great players in the past without assigning defenders to particular players.

“We won’t start doing so now against the Czechs, not least because they have plenty of other attacking options.”

Czech coach Karel Brueckner did not give any hints as to which of those options he would exercise but has faced repeated calls from the media to drop Milan Baros and play Koller alone up front.

Baros was Euro 2004’s top scorer but has failed to find the net for his country since March 2007.

PREVIEW-Soccer-Euro-Swiss co-hosts meet Czechs in opening match - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

[BlackNess]

The Italian, Roberto Rosetti is the man who will Blow the whistle in this match.

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Switzerland's own "Summer fairy tale"?

"Hopp Schwiiz" are the two words in everyone's mouth in Switzerland.

The Swiss hope for their very own "Summer fairy tale" at the EURO 2008, starting with the opening match against the Czech Republic in Basle on Saturday (18:00).

Frei: "A historic moment"

"We are ready for a great match and a historic moment that we will tell our children and grandchildren about", Swiss captain Alexander Frei says ahead of his 60th game for the national side.

The motivation of the Swiss team could hardly be bigger, but so is the pressure.

No EURO win for Switzerland so far

Switzerland have hardly set the world alight in their two EURO tournaments so far, drawing two and losing four matches in 1996 and 2004.

"We haven't got any world stars, but a team that works well. We are ideally prepared to play our best football", Swiss coach Köbi Kuhn says ahead of his last major tournament.

Rosicky sorely missed

Czech coach Karel Brückner will have to make do without long-term injury victim Tomas Rosicky.

"We can't replace him. We have to try and compensate for his loss as good as possible", the 68-year-old declared.

Czechs bank on Koller

Zdenek Pospech (fever) is sidelined, too, but the Czechs bank on 1. FC Nürnberg striker Jan Koller, who has 54 goals in 87 caps to his name.

Czech skipper Tomas Ujfalusi isn't afraid of the heated atmosphere in the sold out St. Jakob-Park, saying "the pressure is on Switzerland in front of their own fans."

Line-ups as expected:

Switzerland: 1 Benaglio - 5 Lichtsteiner, Senderos, 20 Müller, 3 Magnin - 19 Behrami, 8 Inler, 15 Fernandes, 16 Barnetta - 9 Frei, 11 Streller

Czech Republic: 1 Cech - 2 Grygera, 21 Ujfalusi, 22 Rozehnal, 6 Jankulovski - 14 Jarolim, 4 Galasek, 20 Plasil - 7 Sionko, 15 Baros - 9 Koller

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)

Bundesliga - Die offizielle Webseite

[Benfica7]

26' minute 0-0
Czech is the better team in this one.

[sinoy1]

I have to say,the referee's jersey are a thing of beauty.Sky blue.Very fresh.

Snooze fest so far.0-0.Czech really missing Rosicky and Nedved to make them click I feel.

[Benfica7]

Jaroslav Plasil fouls Valon Behrami

[Benfica7]

Hakan Yakin takes a direct free kick, but the shot goes wide