Switzerland dread England backlash in crunch fixture
LISBON, June 16: England can vent four days of pent-up frustration when they face Switzerland on Thursday after their heart-wrenching opening Euro 2004 loss to France.
England were heading for victory over the European champions until defensive blunders enabled Zinedine Zidane to score twice in injury time and secure France's stunning 2-1 win.
Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has made it clear he expects the enormity of the disbelief and disappointment to be converted into a steely determination to come good in Coimbra. "We have to put the last three minutes behind us, and play as we did against France not only on Thursday but for the rest of the tournament," the coach said.
"It's up to us show that, okay, we lost that game...but we are England and we are going to perform." Eriksson has mixed news on the injury front, with John Terry back from the hamstring injury which ruled him out of the France game but Paul Scholes possibly missing out with a twisted ankle.
Terry should return alongside Sol Campbell in central defence at the expense of Ledley King, who was outstanding against France. England's problem role on the left of midfield which playmaker Scholes had been shoe-horned into will probably go to Owen Hargreaves, who did well as his replacement against France. Kieron Dyer should also get a run out.
Desperate for points and knowing that defeat would knock them out of the tournament, England will attack from the middle with Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard leading frontal assaults in support of Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
The 18-year-old Rooney celebrated his first taste of tournament football with a fizzing display against France, but Owen needs to improve on a lacklustre performance.
Switzerland, missing midfield anchorman Johann Vogel after his red card in their dismal 0-0 draw with Croatia, cannot afford to sit back if they are to stand a chance of qualifying.
Should they survive what England captain David Beckham promises will be a torrid start for Koebi Kuhn's side, they will look to strikers Alexander Frei and 34-year-old Stephane Chapuisat to cause trouble for keeper David James. The Swiss, who beat England 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in 1981, at least know they have nothing to lose.
FRANCE v CROATIA
SANTO TIRSO: France coach Jacques Santini knows victory in their second match against Croatia on Thursday would allow him the luxury of resting key players for their final group game.
Zinedine Zidane's injury-time double against England got the champions off to a dramatic winning start on Sunday and another three points against Croatia would put Santini's team through to the quarterfinals from Group 'B'.
"With a success on Thursday, we will be through," he said. "It's what the figures say. As Croatia and Switzerland drew in their first match, only one of them can make seven points at best. With six, we are qualified."
Santini believes if France are to retain their title he will have to rest players like Zidane and Robert Pires for at least one match and the energy-sapping win over England adds weight to that argument.
He is unlikely to make any changes to his starting team for the Croatia match, with midfielder Claude Makelele expected to shake off a minor shoulder injury. Croatia looked ordinary against Switzerland, drawing 0-0, but Santini is expecting them to provide a formidable barrier to his French playmakers.
"I don't know if (Croatia coach Otto) Baric is going to opt for a strategy similar to the one he used against the Swiss," said Santini. "But if so, we will have to find solutions to break the lock just like we did against England."
Croatia have made it clear they would be delighted with a point against the French, and Baric is already casting his mind ahead to the potentially decisive match against England. -Reuters
