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Switzerland bring in teenage striker, France change five – Metro US

Switzerland bring in teenage striker, France change five

Switzerland bring in teenage striker, France change five
Reuters

LILLE, France (Reuters) – Switzerland named 19-year-old striker Breel Embolo in their team to play France on Sunday as they seek at least a draw to reach the knockout phase of Euro 2016.

Embolo, who has made two appearances as a substitute in the tournament, was handed a first start by Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic in place of Haris Seferovic in an otherwise unchanged line-up.

Hosts France, already through to the last 16, made five changes to the side that started the 2-0 victory over Albania, recalling Antoine Griezmann and Paul Pogba, the latter forming a new-look midfield with Yohan Cabaye and Moussa Sissoko.

Andre-Pierre Gignac was preferred to Olivier Giroud up front. Giroud and N’Golo Kante were rested as each would miss the next round if they got another yellow card. Dimitri Payet, Blaise Matuidi and Anthony Martial also drop to the bench.

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will equal coach Didier Deschamps’s record of 54 caps as France captain. The hosts need only a draw to top Group A.

Switzerland, who have never beaten France in a competitive fixture, would overtake their opponents with a win while a draw would also see them through to the next round. If the Swiss are defeated, they could lose the second automatic qualifying spot if Romania beat Albania.

The Group A winners play one of the four best third-placed sides in the last 16 while the runners-up will meet the second team in Group C – Germany, Poland or Northern Ireland.

(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Ed Osmond)