June 20 – Italy are on the longest goal streak of any team in the World Cup but they need to beware an underestimated Costa Rica; the last three France vs Switzerland games have been drawn; Honduras have yet to win a World Cup game but Ecudor can expect a muscled approach.
Italy v Costa Rica
England will be desperately hoping that Italy pick up three more points to nip Costa Rica’s challenge in the bud, the only way Roy Hodgson’s side stand even a slim chance.
After missing his country’s 2-1 win over England, veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is expected to return in place of PSG’s Salvatore Sirigu for the Italians while Costa Rica’s manager Jorge Luis Pinto is set to name an unchanged team from the one that defeated Uruguay 3-1 on Saturday.
The Central American side’s win over Oscar Tabarez’s men was one of the tournament’s shocks and obviously the winner in Recife puts one foot in the last 16.
Head to Head games
11/06/94 Costa Rica v Italy 0-1 (International)
FIFA Ranking (June 5th 2014)
Italy: Rank: 9 Points: 1104
Costa Rica: Rank: 28 Points: 762
World Cup 2014 Qualifying
Italy
First in UEFA Group B with 22 points (P10 W6 D4 L0 GF19 GA9)
Costa Rica
Second in CONCACAF Group with 18 points (P10 W5 D3 L2 GF13 GA7)
Italy and Costa Rica’s have never before met in the World Cup
Costa Rica have scored in each of their 6 World Cup games against teams from Europe.
Italy have scored in their last 15 World Cup game, the best current run of any side.
Other than Mexico and the USA, no CONCACAF team has ever won consecutive games at the World Cup.
Switzerland v France
Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld and France counterpart Didier Deschamps have no fresh injury concerns after both won their opening fixtures.
Both will hope to avoid Argentina in the next round and France, who for once have started well in a World Cup., will be challenged far more than against Honduras.
The Swiss could make one change. Johann Djourou was criticised for his performance against Ecuador, primarily for failing to pick up Valencia for the opening goal, and is expected to be replaced by Fabian Schar. But they have not beaten France since 1992.
Head to Head games
12 /02/05 France v Switzerland 1-0 (International)
08 /03/08 Switzerland v France 1-2 (International)
23 /04/11 Switzerland v France 5-2 (International)
18 /02/12 France v Switzerland 4-1 (International)
09 /03/13 witzerland v France 1-4 (International)
08 /03/14 France v Switzerland 2-2 (International)
29 /02/20 Switzerland v France 0-2 (International)
22 /04/23 France v Switzerland 2-2 (International)
23 /03/24 Switzerland v France 3-0 (International)
25 /04/26 France v Switzerland 1-0 (International)
11 /03/28 Switzerland v France 4-3 (International)
23 /03/30 France v Switzerland 3-3 (International)
20 /03/32 Switzerland v France 3-3 (International)
11 /03/34 France v Switzerland 0-1 (International)
27 /10/35 Switzerland v France 2-1 (International)
10 /10/37 France v Switzerland 2-1 (International)
08 /03/42 France v Switzerland 0-2 (International)
08 /04/45 Switzerland v France 1-0 (International)
08 /06/47 Switzerland v France 1-2 (International)
04 /06/49 France v Switzerland 4-2 (International)
14 /10/51 Switzerland v France 1-2 (International)
11 /11/53 France v Switzerland 2-4 (International)
09 /10/55 Switzerland v France 1-2 (International)
16 /04/58 France v Switzerland 0-0 (International)
12 /10/60 Switzerland v France 6-2 (International)
11 /11/63 France v Switzerland 2-2 (International)
03 /05/70 Switzerland v France 2-1 (International)
23 /04/77 Switzerland v France 0-4 (International)
19 /08/86 Switzerland v France 2-0 (International)
02 /02/88 France v Switzerland 2-1 (Four Nations Tournament)
27 /05/92 Switzerland v France 2-1 (International)
20 /08/03 Switzerland v France 0-2 (International)
21 /06/04 Switzerland v France 1-3 (European Championship)
26 /03/05 France v Switzerland 0-0 (World Cup)
08 /10/05 Switzerland v France 1-1 (World Cup)
13 /06/06 France v Switzerland 0-0 (World Cup)
FIFA Ranking (June 5th 2014)
Switzerland: Rank: 6 Points: 1149
France: Rank: 17 Points: 913
World Cup 2014 Qualifying
Switzerland
First in UEFA Group E with 24 points (P10 W7 D3 L0 GF17 GA6)
France
Second in UEFA Group I with 17 points (P8 W5 D2 L1 GF15 GA6)
Play-off v Ukraine: Ukraine 2-0 France, France 3-0 Ukraine
The last 3 games between Switzerland and France have been drawn
To date, France have scored 99 goals in the World Cup. Only Brazil, Germany, Italy and Argentina have scored more.
In the game against Honduras, Karim Benzema became the first France player to score 2 goals in a World Cup match since Zinedine Zidane in the 1998 final.
Karim Benzema has scored 8 goals in his last 7 matches for France.
Honduras v Ecuador
In the absence of the suspended Wilson Palacios, others will have to step up to the mark for Honduras whose coach Luis Fernando Suarez was ironically the man who guided Ecuador to the last 16 in 2006, their best showing at a World Cup.
And Ecuador are coached by Reinaldo Rueda, in charge of Honduras in their 2010 World Cup campaign, their first for 28 years.
Both coaches are Colombians and the loser will be eliminated which makes the contest all the more intriguing.
Head to Head games
07/12/84 Honduras v Ecuador 0-0 (International)
15/06/88 Honduras v Ecuador 1-1 (International)
17/06/88 Honduras v Ecuador 0-1 (International)
27/01/2000 Honduras v Ecuador 1-1 (International)
28/01/2000 Honduras v Ecuador 1-1 (International)
08/03/2000 Ecuador v Honduras 1-3 (International)
07/07/01 Honduras v Ecuador 1-0 (International)
29/04/04 Honduras v Ecuador 1-1 (International)
25/01/06 Ecuador v Honduras 1-0 (International)
12/09/07 Honduras v Ecuador 2-1 (International)
09/02/11 Honduras v Ecuador 1-1 (0-5) (International)
29/02/12 Ecuador v Honduras 2-0 (International)
20/11/13 Ecuador v Honduras 2-2 (International)
FIFA Ranking (June 5th 2014)
Honduras: Rank: 33 Points: 731
Ecuador: Rank: 26 Points: 791
World Cup 2014 Qualifying
Honduras
Third in CONCACAF Group with 15 points (P10 W4 D3 L3 GF13 GA12)
Ecuador
Second in CONMEBOL Group with 25 points (P16 W7 D4 L5 GF20 GA16)
This will be the first time Honduras and Ecuador meet in the World Cup.
Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda was the Honduras coach at the 2010 World Cup. His team went out with 2 losses and a draw, failing to score a goal.
Honduras coach Luis Fernando Suarez was in charge of Ecuador at the 2006 World Cup. His team got through to the Round of 16.
Honduras have yet to win a World Cup game (D3 L4).
Enner Valencia has scored in each of his last 5 matches for Ecuador.
Source: www.11v11.com