Switzerland striker Admir Mehmedi. (Photo : Getty Images)
High-ranked squads Hungary (0-0-1, 1 point) and Switzerland (1-0-0, 3 points) will take on each other at the Groupama Arena in Budapest on Oct. 7, Friday as the second round of Group B matches in the 2018 FIFA World Cup UEFA qualifying tournament commences.
Start Time and Streaming Info
The game starts at 8:45 p.m. UTC+2. It can be viewed live online thru FuboTV.
Hungary, currently ranked 20th in the world by FIFA, was held to a goalless draw by 111th-ranked Faroe Islands in their first game last Sep. 6 on the road at the Tórsvøllur in the home country's capital of Tórshavn, as per ESPN.
Head coach Bernd Storck's squad was the significant favorite to win the match given the gap in the rankings, but the Magical Magyars were not able to live up to expectations as they were shutout by the defense of the Landsliðið.
Hungary will try to redeem themselves from the humiliating setback in this game versus Switzerland as they boast off attackers Adam Szalai of Hoffenheim, Darmstadt winger Laszlo Kleinheisler, and team captain Balazs Dzsudzsak.
Bologna midfielder Adam Nagy will control play in the middle while domestic star Attila Fiola, Dijon center back Adam Lang, and Ekstraklasa defenders Richard Guzmics and Tamas Kadar mans the backfield. RB Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi is expected to start between the posts.
Meanwhile, 16th-ranked Switzerland pulled off a 2-0 upset over a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal XI at their home field of St. Jakob-Park in Basel also on Sep. 6 to open the tournament, Daily Mail Online reported.
Two first half goals, courtesy of Schalke forward Breel Embolo and Bayer Leverkusen striker Admir Mehmedi at the 23rd and 30th minutes respectively, sealed the win for head coach Vladimir Petković's side early in the match.
The Portuguese, who are the reigning Euro 2016 champions, looked defeated even before the match began as they missed their team leader Ronaldo due to injury and Schweizer pati took full advantage of their opponents' low morale.
Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka of Arsenal was sent off in injury time after picking up his second yellow card of the match.
Prediction and Predicted Lineup
The predicted result is a tough 2-1 win for Switzerland.
Hungary starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Gulacsi; Fiola, Guzmics, Lang, Kadar; Nagy; Nemeth, Kleinheisler, Elek, Dzsudzsak; Szalai
Switzerland starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Sommer; Lichtsteiner, Klose, Schar, Rodriguez; Behrami, Shaqiri; Embolo, Dzemaili, Mehmedi; Seferovic
