Vladimir Petkovic’s Algeria set their stall out early, and it was bold: high lines, aggressive pressing, and a front that refuses to stand still.
Watch the movement up top — Mahrez, Maza and Aouar all taking turns in that false-nine pocket, none a fixed reference, all happy to drop, rotate and press, and all comfortable enough on the ball to knit the moves together.
The catch is what happens when they lose it: Algeria have looked flimsy defending without possession, and that’s precisely where this could unravel, because Switzerland are the opposite animal — long, direct strokes, plenty of running off the ball, and heavily reliant on Xhaka dropping deep to pull the strings and get them playing.
It’s a proper contrast of styles: Algeria’s neat feet against Swiss graft and directness … and Algeria has already fallen on its sword once.
