Not superior, ready to prove yourself

JAKARTA – The opening match of Group A of Euro 2024 will bring together Hungary and Switzerland on Saturday, June 15, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. at the RheinEnergie Stadium in Cologne. These two teams have an important mission: to prove themselves after going through a very contrasting period in their performances. This match will be officiated by referee Slavko Fire and broadcast by K-Vision.

Hungary has performed exceptionally well with unbeaten records for 20 months until last week. Marco Rossi’s team is known for its free-flowing attacking style of football, which has brought much joy to its fans. Their impressive achievements include home victories against opponents like England and Germany.

Dominik Szoboszlai, a 23-year-old creative midfielder, will be the youngest captain in the 2024 European Cup. After missing Euro 2020 due to injury, Szoboszlai is very determined to take Hungary to a better result this time.

“We want to go as far as possible… the team cohesion is very good, everyone should enter this tournament without burden,” Szoboszlai said. “If we have the right attitude, we can achieve something great.”

In their last match, Hungary showed an impressive performance by beating Israel 3-0, Kosovo 2-0, Turkey 1-0 and Montenegro 3-1. However, they lost the doubtful Loic Nego due to a muscle injury.

On the other hand, Switzerland entered this tournament with less convincing performances. They finished second in an easy qualifying group, winning just one of their last eight matches. The team often lost last-minute advantages in several matches, including against Romania, Kosovo and Israel.

However, Switzerland has several key players poised to make a big impact. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer and defender Manuel Akanji have just won the league title with Inter Milan and Manchester City. Granit captain Xhaka, who has demonstrated outstanding performances with Bayer Leverkusen, is ready to lead the team with new calm and confidence.

“Everyone is very excited. The team spirit is very good. We are all ready and looking forward to it,” said defender Silvan Widmer. “It’s a true unit again, hungry and looking to give our best.”

Switzerland also had to deal with several injury problems, with Breel Embolo doubtful due to hamstring injuries and Denis Zakaria picking up a thigh injury. In the last match, Switzerland drew 1-1 against Austria, winning 4-0 against Estonia, 1-0 against Ireland and 0-0 against Denmark. They also lost 1-0 against Romania.

In addition to Hungary and Switzerland, Group A also consists of Scotland and hosts Germany. With varying performances from each team, the competition in this group promises to be very tight.

This opening match will be an opportunity for Hungary to show that they are a power to be reckoned with, while Switzerland will try to prove that they can still compete at the highest level. With the spirit and determination of both teams, this match promises an exciting battle for the start of Euro 2024.

Hungary wanted to start Euro 2024 Group A with a victory, but they will face a Swiss team who have won six of the last nine meetings between the two countries. Saturday’s encounter will be the second time Hungary and Switzerland have met in a major tournament, with Hungary having won their previous encounter 2-0 at the 1938 World Cup. Switzerland then won their last two international encounters, scoring eight goals in the process.

Switzerland, ranked 19th in the world by FIFA, are going through a difficult period qualifying for Euro 2024 and must battle for four wins and five draws from 10 matches to finish second in their group behind Romania. Despite this inconclusive campaign, Switzerland remains on four matches without defeat since the start of this year, helping coach Murat Yakin to stay in his post.

Preparing for Euro 2024, Switzerland beat Estonia 4-0 in their first warm-up match, four days before a 1-1 draw against Austria last weekend, Christoph’s opening goal Baumgartner being registered by Silvan Widmer. The pressure was on Yakin to take Switzerland to the round of 16 and follow in the footsteps of his predecessors, as Switzerland had advanced out of the group stage at the last five European Cups and reached the quarter-finals of the Euro 2020.

This match is shaping up to be a tough battle between two teams who want to start the tournament on a positive note. Hungary, with their optimism and impressive performances, will face Switzerland, determined to come back to find their best form in a major tournament.

Hungary: Gulacsi; Lang, Orban, Szalaï; Nego, A. Nagy, Schafer, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Sallai; Vargas

Switzerland: Sommer; Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Widmer, Freuler, Xhaka, Ndoye; Shaqiri, Vargas; Amdouni

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