PORTO SEGURO // Switzerland must find weaknesses in a French team who will offer the Swiss precious few chances in Friday’s key World Cup clash, according to Swiss assistant coach Michel Pont.
"It is extremely difficult to find weaknesses in the France team," said coach Ottmar Hitzfeld's deputy, who has been involved with the team since 2001. "It's the first time in 13 years that I've struggled to find them.
“It is very well-organised, compact defence who make individual sacrifices, which is down to the will of the players. We have to find weaknesses by jumping on every opportunity.
“If we try and pack all 10 players behind the ball, it won’t work. We have to challenge them.”
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Both teams won their openers, with France topping the table after a 3-0 win over Honduras.
The Swiss secured a last-gasp victory over Ecuador when substitute Haris Seferovic netted in the last minute of injury time to claim a 2-1 comeback victory.
“You have to get at the French and try to disrupt this magnificent machine,” Pont said.
“We have to make them doubt their game, but I don’t think we can do that by physical impact.
“We have to move the ball, run a lot and make them doubt their grip on the game.”
Sixth-place Switzerland are 11 places higher than the French according to Fifa’s rankings, but they insist that those standings mean nothing.
“Us, favourites? Absolutely not,” Pont said.
“My dream is to beat France – it would be the greatest gift – and then go as far as possible. I’m convinced that if we leave the group, we are able to go very far.”
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