| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
|
MEXICO
Corona Salcido, Mier, Chavez, Reyes Vidrio, Ponce, Herrera, Aquino Peralta, Dos Santos |
SWITZERLAND
Benaglio Klose, Rodriguez, Schar, Affolter Frei, Zubar, Buff, Abrashi Mehmedi, Emeghera |
Mexico appears to have no injury concerns ahead of its final group game, but Giovani dos Santos’ two goals against Gabon should see him start ahead of the ineffectual Marco Fabian.
Switzerland will be without Michel Morganella following his expulsion from the squad for using racist language targeted at Group B opponents South Korea on Twitter, with Francois Affolter likely to come in to deputize. Oliver Buff could also return to midfield after serving his one-match suspension.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
- Despite this being its 10th Olympic games Mexico is yet to claim a medal for soccer.
- A medal at London 2012 would see El Tricolor become the first CONCACAF representative to win one.
- Giovanni dos Santos is the only player in Mexico’s 18-man squad based outside of the country. In contrast, only eight of the Swiss squad are based in their native league.
- Mexico’s most-capped player at the tournament, Carlos Salcido, had a spell with Premier League side Fulham, which has Swiss midfielder Pajtim Kasami currently on its books.
- Switzerland’s only Olympic soccer medal came in 1924, a silver, following a 3-0 defeat to Uruguay in the final.
- This is only the third time Switzerland has qualified for the Olympic soccer competition.
- Switzerland coach Pierluigi Tami is assistant manager to Otmar Hitzfeld for the nation’s senior side.