Dugout Discussion – Switzerland vs Poland

After a couple of days’ break, Euro 2016 returns with a trio of matches as the knockout stages get underway.

First up at two o’clock, Switzerland take on Poland for a place in the quarter-finals.

Both sides arrive in Saint Etienne unbeaten over the group stages. Top scorers in qualifying, Poland have struggled for a cutting edge in the final third and found the net on just two occasions, with star man Robert Lewandowski failing to register a single attempt on target so far.

Adam Nawalka’s troops have been far more impressive at the back, though, and, along with Group C opponents Germany, were one of only two teams to serve up a trio of clean sheets so far.

The Swiss have also scored just twice, with frontman Haris Seferovic particularly culpable – he fired five efforts on target in the group stages yet was unable to get amongst the goals and was dropped for Breel Embolo in the final group match with France.

At the other end of the pitch, Vladimir Petkovic’s side defence will be buoyed by that clean sheet against the hosts as they look to prevail and clinch a place against Croatia or Portugal in the next round.