LOS ANGELES, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said his side must be smarter when it faces Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday, after a late setback against Qatar left all four teams level in World Cup Group B.
"Bosnia is a strong team, robust and experienced. They have big names. We have to pay attention to their set-pieces," Switzerland coach Murat Yakin told a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
In the first round of Group B, Canada drew 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Switzerland was held 1-1 by Qatar. The four teams each have one point and one goal, leaving the group standings to be decided by yellow and red cards and the latest FIFA rankings. Switzerland leads the group, while Bosnia and Herzegovina sits bottom.
Switzerland is 19th in the latest FIFA world rankings, while Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks 63rd.
Reassessing the first match against Qatar, which scored a late equalizer, Yakin said, "We dominated the match, but we need to be smarter."
"It was my fault," the coach added.
Looking ahead to the Bosnia and Herzegovina match, Yakin noted, "It is going to be different. Every player needs to know his role in such a match and focus on it."
"We have assessed every player of Bosnia, and we have prepared well," he added.
"We are not afraid of any opponents. We respect them. In the match, we have to look at ourselves," Switzerland midfielder Remo Freuler said.
"When you're in the lead, you also have to work on the defense. I am sure we can create problems for any other teams. We are mentally strong," he noted. ■
