Bosnia Seek Another Upset Against Switzerland After Italy Shock

LOS ANGELES — Bosnia-Herzegovina will look to prove their surprise qualification for the FIFA World Cup was no fluke when they face Group B top seeds Switzerland on Thursday, buoyed by the confidence gained from their playoff victory over Italy.

Bosnia secured a place at the tournament by eliminating four-time world champions Italy in a dramatic penalty shootout in March, one of the biggest shocks of the European qualifying campaign.

Now, after opening their World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against co-hosts Canada, Bosnia are aiming to strengthen their hopes of reaching the knockout stage for the first time.

Veteran striker Edin Dzeko, 40, who did not feature in the draw against Canada, is available for selection and could return to bolster coach Sergej Barbarez’s attack against the Swiss.

Barbarez said his players had already demonstrated their ability to compete with stronger opponents.

“We have shown in very recent times that we can come out on top against stronger opponents on paper,” Barbarez told reporters ahead of the match.

The Bosnia coach dismissed suggestions that Switzerland would underestimate his side because of the gap between the teams in FIFA’s world rankings.

“When we were playing against Italy in the playoffs, there was a similar sentiment publicly, but we stayed focused on ourselves,” he said.

Bosnia Seeking Recognition After Italy Triumph

Defender Nikola Katic said Bosnia’s achievement in defeating Italy had not received the recognition it deserved because much of the discussion focused on Italy’s failure to qualify.

“We managed to beat one of the biggest nations in the history of football,” Katic said.

“I think after that we didn’t get the credit we deserve because it was more about ‘bad Italy’ than ‘good Bosnia’.”

Katic described the playoff victory as a defining moment that had boosted the squad’s confidence ahead of the World Cup.

Bosnia are appearing at only their second World Cup finals. Their only previous appearance came in Brazil in 2014, when they were eliminated in the group stage.

Barbarez has publicly set a target of guiding the team beyond the first round this time.

Switzerland, meanwhile, are seeking improvement after a disappointing start to the tournament. The Swiss were held to a draw by Qatar in their opening match after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser.

The result left all four teams in Group B level on one point after the first round of fixtures.

Swiss midfielder Remo Freuler acknowledged his side had fallen short of expectations and said lessons must be learned ahead of the Bosnia clash.

“We were disappointed, but the next day we had to assess the match and learn from it,” Freuler said.

“When you’re in the lead, you also have to work on the defence and really perform and deliver.”

With the group finely balanced, Thursday’s encounter could prove crucial in shaping the race for a place in the knockout stages, with both teams seeking their first victory of the tournament.

Also Read: Czechia, South Africa Face Must-Win World Cup Clash in Atlanta

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A Lagos-based journalist with a passion for disseminating factual information and a deep appreciation for good music, good food, movies, and beautiful cars. He hopes to travel the world someday, documenting its beauty and diverse cultures through his storytelling.