Switzerland vs Spain betting tips: Women’s World Cup round of 16 preview, predictions, team news and odds

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Switzerland vs Spain match preview

The 2023 World Cup knockout stages commence in Auckland with an all-European affair Down Under, but who will keep their dreams alive?

Of the two, Switzerland did manage to top their group, although they certainly did not achieve this in entertaining fashion.

La Nati began their antipodean adventure by beating debutants Philippines 2-0 at Forsyth Barr Stadium, with Ramona Bachmann converting a penalty, before Seraina Piubel fired home on the rebound.

After that, Inka Grings’s side ground out a pair of goalless draws, playing out tediously boring stalemates against both Norway and New Zealand, the latter, on Sunday, condemning the co-hosts to elimination.

In the history of the World Cup, men’s and women’s, the Swiss have become just the fifth team to top a group by scoring twice or fewer.

In the others, in case you were wondering, being Italy (1970), who actually only scored once, Northern Ireland (1982), England (1990) and Canada (2015).

Spain meantime endured a mixed group phase campaign, mesmeric in their first two matches, swatting aside Costa Rica 3-0 and then debutants Zambia 5-0, limiting their opponents to a combined xG figure of 0.5.

But then, despite only needing a point to top the group at kick off, Jorge Vilda’s side were demolished 4-0 by Japan in Wellington on Monday, suffering their biggest defeat since March 2012.

This doesn’t bode well ahead of the knockout phase does it, given that la Roja were torn apart by the first elite them they’ve faced at this competition?

Nevertheless, Spain do come into this tie as favourites, having won both meetings with Switzerland since the turn of the millennium, hoping to maintain that record in New Zealand.

Who will prevail at Eden Park, setting up a quarter-final showdown against Netherlands or South Africa in Wellington next Friday night?

Switzerland team news

Inka Grings’ side will continue in a 4-4-2 diamond shape, which has certainly made Switzerland hard to score against hasn’t it?

Tottenham centre-back Luana Bühler has missed their last two games due to injury, meaning Nadine Riesen will continue alongside Julia Stierli in defence.

Seraina Piubel is the only Swiss player to score from open-play at this tournament, and she’ll continue as the most advanced as the midfield quartet.

Ana Maria Crnogorčević and Ramona Bachmann can be a potent attacking partnership, even if we haven’t seen much of that at this tournament.

Predicted XI (4-4-2): Thalmann; Aigbogun, Riesen, Stierli, Maritz; Wälti, Sow, Reuteler, Piubel; Crnogorčević, Bachmann.

Spain teams news

Jorge Vilda may be tempted to ring the changes, given how shambolic his team were in defeat against Japan.

Captain Ivana Andrés will miss out injured, so Rocío Gálvez is set to remain as Irene Paredes’ centre-back partner.

Alexia Putellas played 13, 45 and 62 minutes in Spain’s three group games respectively, eased back into the team following her ACL injury last summer.

Her, alongside Aitana Bonmatí and Teresa Abelleira, form, arguably, the best midfield trip at the tournament.

Esther González will return up front, alongside Jenni Hermoso, who took her tally to 50 international goals, on the ocassion of her 100th cap, against Zambia.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Rodríguez; Batlle, Paredes, Gálvez, Carmona; Bonmatí, Abelleira, Alexia; Hermoso, Paralluelo, González.

Switzerland′s Women’s World Cup results & fixtures

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Spain′s Women’s World Cup results & fixtures

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Women’s World Cup round of 16 results & fixtures

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