Two nations looking to return to form will do battle today in an international friendly between Switzerland and Peru. The World Cup tune-up scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET will be held at the Swissporarena in Lucerne. Information on how and where to stream the match live can be found here.
What's left to accomplish for a two-time UEFA Champions League champion? For Swiss head coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, it's reaching the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup. The 65-year-old is scheduled to bow out of football admirably following the tournament, leaving behind a successful six-year tenure with the Switzerland national team. Seeing his men reach their potential, however, remains his only priority.
"Today, our team reached maturity. It has grown up," Hitzfeld told French broadcaster BFM (via Fox Sports). "On a good day, we really can beat any team."
Will Switzerland be able to show that maturity against Peru this afternoon? Tell us @SportsWN
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: The defensive bite of Switzerland's midfield continues to be driven by Napoli's Valon Behrami. Partnered with Gokhan Inler, the 29-year-old is expected to carry his club form to the international level—a club form that saw him average four tackles and 1.8 interceptions per match this past season. With Peru projected to change its system from a 5-3-2 to a 4-3-3, Behrami must find a better way to deal with an onslaught of attacking talent. Opposing players averaged 1.5 dribbles per match on the midfielder in 2014.
Switzerland's Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Benaglio; Lichtsteiner, Djourou, Bergen, Rodriguez; Inler, Behrami; Shaqiri, Mehmedi; Xhaka; Seferovic
Peru's Projected Lineup (4-3-3): Fernandez; Yotún, Rodriguez, Ramos, Castrillon; Cruzado, Ballon, Velarde; Deza, Benavente, Ramirez
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