Yverdon Sport play host to FC Zurich on Thursday evening knowing that only a win will likely do if they wish to remain in the Swiss Super League.
At a time when the home side sit in bottom place in the table, the visitors are in seventh position and require maximum points to guarantee that spot.
Match preview
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With Yverdon Sport having only finished in ninth place during 2023-24, Paolo Tramezzani may have anticipated another struggle at the wrong end of the standings.
However, it has taken a nine-match winless streak to put them on the brink of relegation, a 5-0 reverse at relegation rivals Grasshopper Zurich having the potential to prove pivotal.
Although Yverdon Sport responded with a 2-2 draw at 10th-placed Winterthur last time out, they conceded a 90th-minute penalty that prevented them from moving outside of the bottom two and allowed Winterthur to stay one point ahead of them.
As a result, Tramezzani's side need to win against the odds on Thursday, or draw and hope that Grasshopper and Winterthur both lose their respective games.
Yverdon Sport last place Zurich back on February 22, only going down by a 2-1 scoreline on that occasion, but they have are currently on a four-game streak without prevailing at Stade Municipal.
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Meanwhile, Zurich are attempting to end the season in the best way that they can having missed out on competing in the top six of the standings at the cut-off point.
Even though they have lost four of their most recent six games, Ricardo Moniz's team have won the other two by 3-0 and 4-1 scorelines respectively.
Succumbing 3-2 at St Gallen last time out has allowed their hosts on that occasion to move to within one point of them in the table.
St Gallen now travel to Grasshopper at the same time as Zurich are at Yverdon Sport, all four teams needing victories for varying reasons.
Team News
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Tramezzani did not make a single substitution during the 2-2 draw at Winterthur and may insist on keeping the same team.
The versatile Moussa Baradji has featured in central midfield of late, chipping in with an assist last time out, and will keep his role in the engine room.
Marley Ake netted his seventh goal of the campaign in that fixture, ending a six-game drought in the process.
Samuel Ballet is an option to come into the FC Zurich XI on the back of netting as a substitute versus St Gallen.
Even though that was just his third strike of the campaign, it seems likely that he will get the nod over Umeh Emmanuel.
Yverdon Sport possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Sauthier, Tijani, Marques, Kongsro, Le Pogam; Sylla, Baradji; Legowski; Marchesano, Ake
FC Zurich possible starting lineup:
Brecher; Kamberi, Gbamin, Gomez, Ligue; Krasniqi, Tsawa, Zuber; Markelo, Ballet, Chouiar
We say: Yverdon Sport 1-2 FC Zurich
Given what is at stake, Yverdon Sport may raise their game to push their more illustrious opponents all the way. However, we cannot back against the visitors who we feel will do enough to seal seventh spot.
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Darren Plant
