Swiss hope for goal feast to chase away training blues

ST GALLEN, Switzerland: Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic is hoping for a goal feast against tiny neighbours Liechtenstein in Thursday’s friendly to provide a tonic after more than a week of intense training ahead of the European Championship.

"After 10 days of preparation, after which some players are a bit tired and maybe a bit irritable, we are hoping to come up with a good game to go to Baku with," he told a news conference on Wednesday.

Thursday’s warm-up game in St. Gallen brings an end to the team’s preparations in the east of Switzerland after which they have a short break and then head to Baku for their opening Group A game against Wales on June 12.

Switzerland have won all seven previous clashes with Liechtenstein, but average fewer than three goals per game against them.

The Swiss began their camp last week and posted an unconvincing 2-1 win over the United States in a friendly in St Gallen on Sunday in their first pre-tournament warm-up game.

"The squad is in good condition and there are no problems. All 26 players have been training and are ready for the game,” Petkovic said.

That included Xherdan Shaqiri and Ricardo Rodriguez, who picked up knocks in Sunday’s international.