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Sweden, Switzerland eye spot in World Cup last 8 (Preview)
Samara (Spain), July 2 (IANS) The World Cup Round-of-16 match between Switzerland and Sweden on Tuesday will be a duel between Europe’s two quiet, under-the-radar achievers.
But anyone who has followed Switzerland closely over the past two years will not be surprised by the team’s progress to the pre-quarterfinals, reports Xinhua news agency.
Vladimir Petkovic’s side is ranked No.8 in the world, having lost just one of their past 25 matches. They warmed up for the tournament by drawing 1-1 with Spain and beating Japan 2-0 five days later.
The Swiss brought that solid form to Russia, holding Brazil to a 1-1 draw in their opener before coming from behind to beat Serbia 2-1. They were slightly less impressive in a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica in their last match, their defense looking unusually vulnerable against the Central American outfit.
While Switzerland’s strength lies in their solidity at the back, they also carry an attacking threat, led by their skilful playmaker Granit Xhaka and winger Xherdan Shaqiri. Blerim Dzemaili and Valon Behrami will feature in midfield, while Steven Zuber and centre-forward Haris Seferovic will provide pace on the break.
Sweden, ranked No. 24, have probably looked even stronger in the group stage. After a 1-0 win over South Korea in their opener, the Swedes were unlucky to lose to Germany after a brilliant last-gasp Toni Kroos strike. Janne Andersson’s team then routed Mexico 3-0 to secure top spot in their group.
When the Swedes opened up against Mexico they played their best football of the tournament, so will they look to be positive against the Swiss, after seeing how Costa Rica made them suffer.
The Scandinavians will be hoping for more from forward duo Marcus Berg and Ola Toivonen, who have scored just one goal between them in Russia so far. The team’s top scorer to date is center-back Andreas Granqvist with two goals.
Both sides will be impacted by suspensions for the match at Saint Petersburg Stadium. Switzerland will be without right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner and central defender Fabian Schar while Sweden midfielder Sebastian Larsson is also out after picking up two yellow cards in the competition’s first phase. Larsson’s likely replacement is to be either Gustav Svensson or Oscar Hiljemark.
The winner will play the victor of Tuesday’s other fixture between Colombia and England.
Switzerland are hoping to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954 while Sweden last appeared in the last eight in 1994, when they finished third.
Sweden coach Janne Andersson said his team will be prepared for a penalty shootout to decide the duel with Switzerland, a match that pits together two of Europe’s most defense-minded teams.
The absence of world-class strikers in either side has led to predictions that the scores will be tied after 120 minutes at Saint Petersburg Stadium.
“It’s my job to decide on the players who need to perform, in this case for the penalty shootout situation,” Andersson said. “We’ve talked about it in the squad… and I’m going to rank the players, the entire squad in terms of penalties.”
“We have a clear plan in place for what we’re going to do, but I’m not going to enter into any more details.”
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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