Swiss boost as stars return vs Chile

Giant killers Switzerland have received a timely boost ahead of Monday’s game against Chile with the return to fitness of captain Alexander Frei and West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami.

Frei, Switzerland’s all time top goalscorer, was forced to sit out the shock opening World Cup win over Spain after suffering an ankle injury four hours before his team boarded the plane for South Africa.

He and Behrami came through a full training session unscathed on Saturday and are back in contention for this Group H clash at the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.

“Frei is once again 100 percent, ready to play,” confirmed Hitzfeld.

“He gives me another option up front,” added the 61-year-old.

While Hitzfeld stressed he was still toying with his team sheet Tranquillo Barnetta is expected to make way for Behrami in midfield.

The duo’s return is welcome as Switzerland will have to face a dangerous Chile side without key defender Philippe Senderos.

Fulham’s new signing misses the game with a right ankle injury picked up in the shock opening 1-0 defeat of World Cup favourites Spain.

The Swiss are hoping to have Senderos back should they seal their passage to the last 16.

A second round ticket is well within their grasp after they toppled European champions Spain in Durban on Wednesday.

Midfielder Gelson Fernandes’s second half goal gave Hitzfeld’s men a maiden win over the Spanish in 85 years.

Hitzfeld sought to reduce the pressure on his team by claiming that Chile were favourites to win.

Chile created their own bit of history when a first half strike from Jean Beausejour gave them a 1-0 win over Honduras to end a 13-game winless run spanning four World Cups.

Hitzfeld commented: “This team really impressed me. Firstly in qualifying. Not many teams end up finishing above Argentina.

“Against Honduras, the Chileans were unbelievable and they could have 3-0 or 4-0 instead of 1-0. They are a solid unit, with very fast players.”

The South Americans’ last success in the tournament came in 1962 when they beat the then Yugoslavia to finish third as hosts.

They faced Honduras without top striker Humberto Suazo, the leading scorer in the South American qualifiers with 10 goals who has been recovering from a leg injury.

Suazo completed a full training session on Friday and is set to make his 2010 World Cup debut against the Swiss.

Suazo was sorely missed and coach Marcelo Bielsa, who is desperate to reach the second round having failed to do so in 2002 with his native Argentina, expressed concern at the 1-0 scoreline.

“If the group is decided on goal difference then we will rue the chances we missed. We could have scored more goals and we were on top.”

The 54-year-old added: “We’ll try to win the next game because the objective is to pass to the next round and start writing new records.”

Hitzfeld said he expected a more complicated match than against the Spanish.

“It will be above all more difficult on the mental front. It is imperative that we are totally focused.

“In terms of strategy, we will have to be even more compact than we were against Spain.

“The victory against Spain was an extraordinary moment but will be pointless if we fail to reach the second round.”

After Monday’s clash Chile face Spain in Pretoria on Friday with Switzerland completing their first round against Honduras in Bloemfontein the same day.

KEY TO MATCH

Fiery Real Zaragoza striker Humberto Suazo’s presence will give Chile an added edge in attack against a Switzerland defence weakened by the absence of newly signed Fulham defender Philippe Senderos.