Spain will face Switzerland in the Round of 16 and will be looking to bounce back after losing 0-4 to Japan in their final group stage match of this year's Women's World Cup.
Before the match, I expected Spain to play an even match with Japan, but the Raging Bulls' defense could not cope with Nadeshiko Yamato's counter-attacks, and even though the team had most of the possession, the strikers failed to create enough chances on goal, but I believe that Spain, with their star-studded team, will be able to qualify for the later stages of this tournament.
They scored a total of 8 goals in the first two rounds of the group stage, and I'm sure that Elinberto Lidice and Onabatu will make sure that Spain's defense won't be as bad as it was against Japan. Another player that I expect to have a price tag on her is Barcelona's midfielder Bomardi. Meanwhile, I also think Esther Gonzalez will be back in the starting 11, as the team seems to be more efficient in goal with her leading the way up front.
On the other hand, I think Switzerland did well to top the group with former Women's World Cup champions Norway and co-host New Zealand. However, I expect them to spend a lot of time stealing the ball from their opponents when they face Spain.
Switzerland has kept a clean sheet so far without conceding a single goal, and I'm sure Maritz will be organizing the defense and pushing her defensive teammates to give their best to counter Spain's attacking moves. Leah Wardy, the captain of the team, should deliver a disciplined performance in the midfield and give a boost to her teammates. Ramona Barkman and Livan will have to make good use of their chances in the penalty box, as Switzerland is not a team that can create a lot of chances to score goals.
