Euro 2016 match preview: Switzerland vs Poland

It's unchartered territory for Switzerland and Poland, who have both reached the knockout stage of a European Championship finals for the first time.


In fact, prior to Euro 2016 Poland had never even won a game at the tournament. Now they both find themselves in the so-called "right half of the draw" and one of them will be the first country into the quarter-finals.

Poland's Robert Lewandowski top scored in qualifying with 13 goals but is yet to open his account in France. Indeed both Poland and Switzerland have each scored only twice in the tournament.

The two countries' attacking statistics may not be impressive to date but defensively they have both been resolute. Poland have been dogged at the back and are yet to concede, while Switzerland have conceded only once - from a penalty. It promises to be a cagey encounter.

TEAM NEWS

Switzerland may name the same side that drew against France in their last game, which would mean 19-year-old forward Breel Embolo again starting.

Embolo, Valon Behrami, Fabian Schar and Granit Xhaka all start one booking away from a ban.

Poland remain without Wojciech Szczesny due to a thigh injury so Lukasz Fabianski is set to continue in goal.

Midfielder Bartosz Kapustka is suspended, having picked up a second booking in their final group game.


MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Switzerland have won only one of their 10 games against Poland, a 2-1 triumph in May 1976. 
• Poland have won four and drawn five of those 10 meetings, the most recent being a 4-0 friendly win in February 2001.
• Poland have only failed to score only once in 10 encounters, in a goalless draw back in May 1972.
• The two countries last met in a 2-2 friendly in Wroclaw, in November 2014. Fabian Frei and Josip Drmic scored for Switzerland, Artur Jedrzejczyk and Arkadiusz Milik for Poland.
• Their only competitive meetings were Euro 1980 qualifiers; Poland won 2-0 home and away.

Switzerland

• Switzerland have only won two of 12 matches at the European Championship (D4, L6).
• They have conceded only one goal so far at Euro 2016. It was from the penalty spot against Romania.
• Switzerland have not made it through a knockout match at a major tournament in four attempts since overcoming Germany in a replay of a first-round game at the 1938 World Cup - which, like Euro 2016, was staged in France. 
• Their record in qualifying was W7, D0, L3; two of those defeats were against England. Both of Switzerland's goals so far have come as a result of corners.
• In fact, four of their seven goals at European Championship finals have come from set-pieces (two penalties, two corners).

Poland

• Poland have never scored more than one goal in nine games at the European Championship. 
• However, they haven't conceded a single goal in this year's group stage, a feat matched only by Germany.
• Robert Lewandowski scored in the 17th minute of his first game at Euro 2016 (v Greece in 2012). 
• Since then, he's failed to score or provide an assist in the competition in 523 minutes.
• Jakub Blaszczykowski has been directly involved in four of Poland's five goals in Euro history (two goals, two assists).
• Blaszczykowsk is also the first Polish player to score at two Euro finals tournaments.

Possible Line Ups

Switzerland: Sommer; Lichtsteiner, Schar, Djourou, Rodriguez; Behrami, Xhaka; Shaqiri, Dzemaili, Mehmedi; Embolo

Poland: Fabianski; Cionek, Glik, Pazdan, Jedrzejczyk; Zielinski, Krychowiak, Jodlowiec, Kapustka; Milik, Lewandowski

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