SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Swiss captain confident of reaching second round of World Cup

Record ID: 452992

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - WORLD CUP 2010 - Swiss captain confident of reaching second round of World Cup
  • Date: 25th June 2010
  • Summary: MANGAUNG, FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 24, 2010) (REUTERS) HAKAN YAKIN WALKS OUT OF THE TUNNEL ONTO THE PITCH, FOLLOWED BY EREN DERDIYOK, WHO HAS BEEN DECLARED FIT TO PLAY AGAINST HONDURAS SWITZERLAND TRAINING SQUAD STAFF ON SIDELINES OF CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY FIELD UNIDENTIFIED SWISS PLAYER WALKS OUT OF THE TUNNEL ONTO THE PITCH, FOLLOWED BY CAPTAIN, ALEX FREI SWITZERLAND TRAINING SQUAD STAFF ON SIDELINES VARIOUS OF SWITZERLAND 2010 WORLD CUP SOCCER TEAM TRAINING AND WARMING UP SWITZERLAND CAPTAIN, ALEX FREI AND TEAM MEDIA PERSON AT NEWS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (German) ALEX FREI, CAPTAIN OF THE 2010 SWITZERLAND MEN'S SOCCER TEAM, SAYING: "Come on, I'm talking about failure today, I'm not interested in talking about us not making the Round of 16. I would like to talk about how we are going to go through. And we will go through." FREI AND MODERATOR AT CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) ALEX FREI, CAPTAIN OF THE 2010 SWITZERLAND MEN'S SOCCER TEAM, SAYING: "Over the past qualification rounds we conceded very few goals only. Our defensive play is very strong, but we can also score lots of goals. And who is going to score a goal, I don't know really, we just have to make sure we do score and we feel comfortable about that." FREI AND MODERATOR AT CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) ALEX FREI, CAPTAIN OF THE 2010 SWITZERLAND MEN'S SOCCER TEAM, SAYING: "I don't think you can say match tomorrow is going to be less difficult, because Honduras still have a chance as well to qualify. So, they will of course, try and sell themselves as best they can. They want to play in a positive way and they will make it very difficult for us, I can assure you." FREI AND MODERATOR LEAVE THE NEWS BRIEFING ROOM VARIOUS OF SWITZERLAND TEAM TRAINING TWO MEMBERS OF SWITZERLAND TRAINING SQUAD STAFF ON SIDELINES VARIOUS OF TEAM WARMING UP
  • Embargoed: 10th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA43DGS964J2O2JT930JLG2X5Q4
  • Story Text: Switzerland's 2010 men's World Cup soccer team captain, Alex Frei says he is not willing to discuss failure in their decisive World Cup Group H against Honduras.
    "I'm not interested in talking about us not making the Round of 16. I would like to talk about how we are going to go through. And we will go through," said Frei.
    Frei was speaking at the Free State Stadium on Thursday (June 24) ahead of the team's final group match in Mangaung, on Friday (June 25).
    Switzerland grabbed the headlines with an opening 1-0 victory over European champions Spain in their opening Group H match.
    Chile currently leads the group, on six points, with Spain and Switzerland both on three. Honduras has no points.
    But Frei, who has been dogged by injury, says Honduras is still to be respected and taken seriously.
    "Honduras still have a chance as well to qualify. So, they will of course, try and sell themselves as best they can. They want to play in a positive way and they will make it very difficult for us, I can assure you," said Frei.
    The Swiss, whose only goal was in the shock 1-0 defeat of Spain, must swap a cautious defensive game for fast attacking play while also protecting seven players one booking away from a suspension. Frei was asked if he knows who might score for the team on Friday.
    "Our defensive play is very strong, but we can also score lots of goals. And who is going to score a goal, I don't know really, we just have to make sure we do score," said Frei.
    Switzerland midfielder Valon Behrami will be absent for Friday's clash with Honduras through suspension after being red carded in the defeat by Chile.
    Injured forward Eren Derdiyok has been declared fit for the game.
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