Switzerland are trying to pile the pressure on France by claiming the underdog tag for the Alpine neighbours' World Cup Group E clash in Salvador on Friday. Both teams won their openers, with France topping the table after a convincing 3-0 win over Honduras, while the Swiss secured a last-gasp victory over Ecuador.
Super-sub Haris Seferovic netted in the last minute of injury time to claim a 2-1 come-back victory after the Swiss had fallen behind to Enner Valencia's first-half header. Sixth-placed Switzerland are 11 places higher than the French according to FIFA's rankings, but insist those standings mean nothing. "Favourites? You like that word in France, eh?," Swiss central defender Steve von Bergen told AFP.
"It is France who are the favourites." Swiss assistant coach Michel Pont, who celebrates his 60th birthday on Thursday, said 1998 World Cup-winners France have the upper hand. Pont says France coach Didier Deschamps has united his squad after the debacle of their South Africa 2010 campaign, when the team went on strike in support of Nicolas Anelka after a row with then-coach Raymond Domenech.
"Us, favourites? Absolutely not," said Pont, who has worked under current coach Ottmar Hitzfeld since 2008, as well as his predecessor Jakub Kuhn from 2001-2008. "Frankly, the current French team impresses me, they have found harmony. "France has always had technical quality, they have simply returned to their normal level, which they never should have left. "It's extremely difficult to find their weak points, it is the first time I have experienced this in 13 years.