Switzerland vs Spain: One of these teams will make history
The round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to get underway as Switzerland and Spain square off in the first of eight matches. Neither side have ever gotten to the quarterfinals, meaning that whoever wins this game will make history. The two teams involved couldn’t have had different World Cup group stages so far. For Spain, who are making their third World Cup appearance, they started off well, cruising to a 3-0 win over Costa Rica before hammering debutant side Zambia to put themselves in contention for a round of 16 spot for a game to spare.
However, Jorge Vilda’s team were handed a humiliating loss, shockingly losing 4-0 to Japan on matchday three to end up as the runners-up in Group C. That loss is Spain’s worst defeat in not just at the World Cup, but in well over a decade, and despite enjoying most of the possession, Japan still managed to hit back on the counter attack to score three quick goals in the first half, before sealing the win with their fourth in the second 45. It was quite reminiscent of what their male counterparts did to Spain’s stars at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where, once again, Spain did enjoy most of the possession, but were unable to win the match.
As such, Spain will need to shake that result off quickly if they want to secure a quarter-finals spot for the first time in history. Their upcoming opponents, Switzerland, have not played the most entertaining football, but La Nati managed not only to keep clean sheets in all three of their group stage games, but also top Group A. Overall, Switzerland are unbeaten in their last eight matches across all competitions – but it’s worth to note that a whopping seven are draws.
They were just one of three teams who did not concede during the group stages, alongside Jamaica and Japan, but unlike Japan, who netted 11 goals in just three games, Switzerland scored just twice. Only Jamaica, who scored only one goal in their group stage matches against France, Brazil, and Panama, fared worse in attack. In Jamaica’s case, however, the Reggae Girlz were in a very difficult group, with France and Brazil expected to progress while they battled it out with Panama for second place. Switzerland, by contrast, were frankly in a very comfortable group, with only Norway really appearing to be a serious threat. Their other opponents were New Zealand, who had never won a World Cup game prior to this year, and the Philippines, who were making their debut at this summer’s competition.
While Switzerland’s defense has been the key driving factor for La Nati, and will certainly be tested against Spain’s free-flowing attack, they will at some point really need to push on. Scoreless draws are fine during the group stages, where a point can make the difference between going home early or remaining afloat, but once the knockout rounds happen, it’s a whole different proposition. Like Spain, Switzerland have never gotten to the quarter-finals, and are also relatively newcomers to this competition, having made their debut back in 2015.
Will Spain successfully recover from a shock loss on matchday three to become the first team to earn a ticket to the quarter-finals? Or will Switzerland, who haven’t excited most with their play, but have been efficient nonetheless, hold firm, frustrate their opponents, and manage to grind out a victory?
