Hungary v Switzerland: Don't expect Swiss to roll over their opponents

• Swiss only won four of ten qualifiers

• Hungary excelled in qualifiers and Nations League

• Magyars to keep it close in first Bet Builder

• Keep an eye on combustible Kerkez

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Hungary v Switzerland
Saturday 15 June, 14:00
Live on ITV

Marvellous Magyars ready to take next step

While Hungary haven't qualified for a World Cup since 1986, they did compete at the finals of the last European Championship. Although Marco Rossi's team failed to escape the group stage and didn't win a game, they gave both Germany and France serious scares, drawing both games after taking the lead.

In the Nations League the following year, Hungary beat England home and away (including an extraordinary 4-0 win at Molienux), and they also overcame Germany in Leipzig. Had they not lost their final game against Italy in Budapest, they would have qualified for the Nations League finals.

Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai remains the key player, and he is looking to make up for lost time after injury cruelly denied him his place at Euro 2020. He delivered four goals and three assists in qualifying, more goals and assists than he managed in a mixed first campaign in the Premier League.

Uefa European Championship Qualifiers - Top 20 Goalscorers

It's not all about Szoboszlai though. Freiburg forward Roland Sallai is a wild card who scored twice in that 4-0 win over England, and he is capable of changing games with a moment of magic. RB Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi is looking sharp after a year on the sidelines with injury, and his clubmate Willi Orban is a fine centre-back.

Confidence draining in Yakin's Switzerland

Switzerland have been incredibly consistent in major tournaments in the 21st century. They have reached the last 16 in four of the last five World Cups, and they've escaped the group stage in the last two European Championships.

However, after a deeply unconvincing qualification campaign, the heat is on coach Murat Yakin, and there is concern that the Nati might not emerged unscathed from a tough group. Switzerland finished five points behind the group winners Romania, and only won four of their ten qualifiers.

The influential skipper Granit Xhaka, who has had an outstanding season with German double winners Bayer Leverkusen, has been openly critical of Yakin at times. The coach has played down talk of a rift, but it has added to a sense of trepidation.

That said, there is plenty of quality and experience in the squad. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer has just had an excellent season with runaway Serie A winners Inter, and he is keeping Dortmund's exceptional stopper Gregor Kobel out of the starting XI. Defender Manuel Akanji has just won another Premier League title with Manchester City, while 123-cap maverick Xherdan Shaqiri will be one of the most naturally gifted players at the tournament.

As is the case with Hungary, a reliable centre-forward is lacking. Burnley's Zeki Amdouni has promise (he has scored seven goals in 15 caps), but is inexperienced, while Breel Embolo only returned from a long-term injury in late April.

Hungary can at least be competitive

Given how well Hungary have done in the Nations League and the Euro 2024 qualifiers (they were unbeaten in their ten games), I think they are capable of keeping Switzerland at arm's length here. We can give Hungary a +2 start on the Handicap, we can back Under 3.5 Goals and we can back Hungary to commit ten fouls or more at 1.855/6 on the Sportsbook's Bet Builder.

In qualifying, Hungary had an average of 9.8 fouls per game, so it isn't asking a lot to suggest they'll commit ten fouls in a match where the Swiss will probably have the majority of possession.

Impetuous Kerkez to drive Bet Builder

One of the battles to keep an eye on here is the one between Hungary and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez and Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri. Kerkez committed an average of 1.14 fouls per 90 in the Premier League last season, and the campaign before with AZ his figure was 1.28. He picked up four bookings in each of those seasons. The 20-year-old can be a bit rash, and in seven qualifiers for this tournament he picked up ten fouls, was booked twice and also drew a red card.

I'll back Kerkez to commit two or more fouls, and I'll throw in Shaqiri to be fouled. If you look at Shaqiri's last two completed seasons for Chicago Fire in MLS, his fouled per 90 averages were 1.96 and 1.89. They are very high figures indeed, and he'll want plenty of the ball here.

Finally, I'll go for Hungary's Dominik Szoboszlai to have two or more shots, which gets us to a combined price of 3.259/4 on the Bet Builder. In qualifying he had a staggering 3.5 shots per 90, and most of Hungary's attacking play will go through him.

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