World Cup: Lichtsteiner could have wings clipped by pacey Ecuador

BRASILIA - Stephan Lichtsteiner, whose marauding runs down right flank for Switzerland have earned him the nickname Forrest Gump, may find his style cramped by Ecuador's speedy wingers in Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) World Cup match.

The Swiss right back, one of his team's most potent attacking weapons, could find himself bogged down with less-favored defensive duties to help his side cope with the threat posed by Ecuador winger Jefferson Montero in Sunday's Group E match.

Lichtsteiner, who has won three successive Serie A titles with Juventus, usually plays on the right of a five-man midfield for his club, giving him more freedom for his probing runs.

But Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld prefers him as a right-back in a 4-4-2 which, against teams such as Ecuador who attack down the flanks, invariably limits his freedom to charge forward.

Sunday's (Monday, PHL time) match will also be played at 1300 local time and, with temperatures likely to be in the mid to upper 20s Celsius, Lichtsteiner may also have to dose his energies.

"When it's 30 degrees Celsius and you have to run 80 meters back, it's a different story," he said after scoring in a 2-0 friendly win over Peru on June 3.

Montero's speed and trickery can make him unplayable on his day, although he is prone to inconsistency and frustrating tendency to go it alone.

The first-ever meeting between the two sides could be instrumental in deciding who finishes second in the group where France are seen as likely winners and Honduras are considered rank outsiders.

The Swiss side is considered one of the best the country has produced with nearly all the players based with top Serie A or Bundesliga clubs and has risen to an unprecedented sixth in the world rankings.

Boosted by second generation Kosovan immigrants, they are feistier, more confident and more inventive than their predecessors, although they still find goals hard to come by and tend to win by narrow margins even against lesser opponents.

Ecuador, taking part in their third World Cup, are strong going forward, with Antonio Valencia's darting runs providing an added threat down the right flank, but have a soft centre.

None of their central defenders are playing regularly at club level and they have suffered an added blow with the injury to defensive midfielder Segundo Castillo, who played a vital role in protecting the defense.

"Ecuador are direct rivals for a place in the round of 16," Hitzfeld told reporters at the Swiss camp in the resort town of Porto Seguro.

"A good start in the group will be decisive. They are outstandingly well-organized and strong technically. We can't hope to score a single goal and win, they are far too strong for that." - Reuters


FACTBOX: Switzerland v Ecuador

Where: The Brasilia national stadium, Brasilia
Capacity: 69,349
When: Sunday June 15, 13:00 local (Monday, 12am, PHL time)
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)

Key stats:
- Switzerland has lost one match in the last two years, a friendly against South Korea in November.
- Switzerland has played five times against South American teams at the World Cup with one draw, against Brazil in 1950, and four defeats, against Chile (twice), Argentina and Colombia.
- Ecuador plays their home matches at Quito's Atahualpa stadium, at 2,800 meters above sea level. Their seven wins in the 16-game World Cup qualifying competition were all at home.
- Edison Mendez is Ecuador's most capped player with 111 appearances and has been in the squad on all three occasions they have qualified for the World Cup. He scored their first World Cup goal against Croatia in 2002.
- Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has won seven Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund and the Champions League once with each.

Previous meetings: Switzerland and Ecuador have never faced each other before.