Serbia vs Switzerland Group E World Cup Picks & Predictions 6/22/2018
World Cup Group E
Friday, June 22, 2018
Kaliningrad Stadium
Serbia will play at Kaliningrad Stadium when they take on Switzerland on Friday, June 22, 2018 in a Group E matchup. The opening line for this game has Serbia at +155 and Switzerland at +180. The total has been set at 2.25.
Both Serbia and Switzerland will need all three points from this Group E matchup if they are going to keep pace with Brazil, so it wouldn't be surprising to see both teams go for it a bit more in this game. Serbia will be hoping that their strong attack will be able to make up for their below-average back line, while Switzerland that their chemistry advantage is enough to get them the win. Switzerland will be the slight favorites in this tilt, but this one is a tough one to predict.
Serbia
The Serbians know that they need their defense to play better than they have in recent years if they are going to be able to make it further in big tournaments. If they can't slow down this Swiss offensive attack, they may have no shot of moving to the round of 16. They have plenty of attacking talent up front to do some damage, but this is not the type of team that will be able to blow teams out. If they play good, collective defense, they can defeat this Swiss side.
Dusan Tadic
Tadic really struggled with Southampton this year, but he seems to always find that next level when playing for his national team. The attacking midfielder has 13 goals in 53 games coming into the World Cup and should have plenty of opportunities to express himself against Switzerland.
Vladimir Stojkovic
Veteran keeper Stojkovic has plenty of experience in net for Serbia with over 80 caps. He knows that the defenders in front of him can mess up their positioning at times, so he will need to come up with one or two big stops in order to help his team take at least one point from this fixture.
Switzerland
With their recent move up the FIFA rankings to number six, Switzerland now has the added weight of winning expectations in games like this. Their midfield is clearly better than Serbia's, so they should be able to win the possession game in this matchup. With the way they played in friendlies leading up to the World Cup - three wins and two draws - it would be surprising if they didn't get this victory. Of course, they also have a slightly below-average defense, so if they could leak a couple of goals if they're off their game.
Manuel Akanji
The young central defender from Borussia Dortmund quickly earned a place in this Swiss defense and will be looking to prove himself against some of the best players in the world. He has good size and quickness, but his inexperience is a worry. He'll need to play well in this game against some very talented attacking Serbs.
Granit Xhaka
Xhaka has been a bit of a letdown since moving to Arsenal in 2016, but he's a very key part of Switzerland's midfield. He plays a bit deeper for his national side, but even from deep he can pick out passes and he's not afraid to shoot from distance.
Key Serbia Injuries
No key injuries to report
Key Switzerland Injuries
No key injuries to report
Who will win tonight's Serbia/Switzerland World Cup game against the spread?
Josh's Pick: Take Serbia +155
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