Swiss target win to be first in Round of 16

 

PARIS -- Hitting the ground running at the European Championship, Switzerland can be first to advance to the knockout rounds on Wednesday.

A second Swiss win, against Romania at Parc des Princes, and a six-point tally will guarantee beating everyone into the round of 16.

Coach Vladimir Petkovic long ago set a target of advancing with a game to spare and "write a great chapter" in team history at the European tournament.

"Switzerland have never succeeded in winning two group matches," Petkovic said on Tuesday through a translator. "That would be something."

Indeed, Switzerland had only one win in three previous Euros -- and then only after being quickly eliminated when co-hosting in 2008, against a Portugal team without Cristiano Ronaldo.

After opening Saturday with a 1-0 win over Albania, a draw would likely be enough in the new and forgiving 24-team format. It's not enough, though, for Petkovic.

"That's not who I am as a coach," said the Bosnia-born Petkovic through a translator. "I don't demand the minimum objective from my sides. We want the maximum three points."

Switzerland and Romania approach their second matches from entirely different angles

While Romania impressed in losing 2-1 to a France team carried by Dimitri Payet, the Swiss scored early but were hanging on to beat the Albanians.

"We saw the match against France and they might have won the game," Petkovic acknowledged, noting Romania's team-first values without praising any individuals.

Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami, a starter in the 2008 campaign, went further in his judgment of the teams' qualities.

"In front we have more talented players than them," Behrami said. "But it's not easy to create something in qualification like they did."

Romania had the meanest defence of the entire qualifying program by conceding only two goals in 10 matches.

Payet's creativity meant that number doubled in the second half alone at the Stade de France last Friday.

Still, Romania can feel a draw would suit its prospects better, with a last Group A match against Albania to come when the Swiss must face the French.

"The match against Switzerland is very important, of course, but not decisive," Romania defender Dragos Grigore said. 

 

CREDIT TO:http://euro2016.tsn.ca/news/swiss-target-win-first-round