Salvador: Switzerland are trying to pile the pressure on France by claiming the underdog tag for the Alpine neighbours’ World Cup Group E clash in Salvador on Friday (Saturday in India).
Both teams won their openers, with France topping the table after a convincing 3-0 win over Honduras, while the Swiss secured a last-gasp victory over Ecuador.
Haris Seferovic netted in the last minute of injury time to claim a 2-1 comeback victory after the Swiss had fallen behind to Enner Valencia’s first half header.
Sixth-placed Switzerland are 11 places higher than the French according to FIFA’s rankings, but insist those standings mean nothing.
“Favourites? You like that word in France, eh?,” Swiss central defender Steve von Bergen told AFP.
“It is France who are the favourites.”
Swiss assistant coach Michel Pont, who celebrates his 60th birthday on Thursday, said 1998 World Cup-winners France have the upper hand.
Pont says France coach Didier Deschamps has united his squad after the debacle of their 2010 campaign, when the team went on strike in support of Nicolas Anelka after a row with then-coach Raymond Domenech. (AFP)