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Switzerland escaped their group in 2014 but have only ever reached the quarter-finals in their nine World Cup appearances so far.

This time around though, there appears a greater steel to the Swiss as in both of their group games they have fought back from behind, earning a point against Brazil and a win over Serbia.

Vladimir Petkovic’s also looked rock solid in qualifying where they claimed nine wins from 10 yet still needed a play-off. In even more solid fashion, they saw off Northern Ireland by digging out a 1-0 win over two legs.

When they are up against it, these boys can dig in!

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Here we have the Volga River, the longest river in Europe at over 3,500km. It is regarded as the national river of Russia, a source of pride if you will, like Brits and roast beef or German's and automobiles.

Anyway, I tell you this as it runs through Nizhny Novgorod, where this game takes place tonight. Some trivia never did anyone any harm did it?

It's some 400km from Moscow and is home to around 1.2m people.

But you sporty types only have eyes for sport in all honesty. You want to know what club you can visit if you go there right? That's where the excitement ends as good old Nizhny is home to the mighty FC Olympiyets, who play in Russia's second tier.

They have a striker called Dan Spataru, who sounds like he'd be mint on Footy Manager.

So there you go. You now know everything you need to know about Nizhny.

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Shooting drills for Switzerland as we speak. One into the top corner, a couple straight at the keeper. They'll have to be better than that. Costa Rica jog to the tunnel. Just one more game to go lads. No more training, no more warming up.

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Costa Rica defended admirably in both defeat to Brazil last time out, with Neymar and his gang not netting until the closing stages.

But it's at the other end where there are a few issues. They are yet to score and have hit the target just three times in two games. It's proving costly too as since qualifying for the World Cup in October, they have lost seven of their nine matches. Ouch.

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert in Russia

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Switzerland have impressed me so far with the way they kept Brazil quiet and then fought back to beat Serbia, but I am not surprised that they are doing well.

They are a team that is greater than the sum of its parts, they are extremely well-coached and they always have a real go too. They will be too strong for Costa Rica.

Prediction:1-0

Check out all of Lawro's predictions by clicking here.

Andrew Felstead: Germany out wahooo, they might want a new manager....concerned Reds fan.

Anyone share Andrew's concern? Send your tweets to #bbcfootball.

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Xherdan Shaqiri raced clear of Serbia's defence to win a crucial three points for Switzerland last time out.

His club career at Stoke City - relegated from the Premier League - looks very much up in the air but his international career seems to be thriving on the big stage.

The diminutive forward has been involved in five of Switzerland's last six goals at the World Cup, scoring four of them. He looks very much like the man Costa Rica need to watch closely.

Now speaking of Love Island, if Xherdan Shaqiri were to turn up in the villa, there's no doubting in my mind he'd be an instant hit. I mean after all, the guy is just swaggering his way through international football's waters at the moment...

And of course, what's great about tonight is you'll be able to take this drama in and be done and dusted by 9pm, so you can clock on to Love Island guilt free.

Got those permutations now? Got them sussed? Really? Honestly? Then thumbs up dudes.

Image source, EPA

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• A draw for Brazil against Serbia will be enough for a place in the knockout stage.
• If both Brazil and Switzerland win then the group winner could be decided by disciplinary records: Brazil have three yellows, Switzerland four. If they both lose then it will be the second and third places potentially decided by the same process.
• The Swiss will qualify with a draw against Costa Rica, or if Serbia lose to Brazil.
• If Switzerland lose by one goal and Serbia draw, second place will be decided by goals scored. If the sides finish with identical records then Switzerland would go through because they beat Serbia.
• Serbia will qualify if they defeat Brazil. A draw would be enough if Switzerland lose to Costa Rica by more than one goal.

The players are currently going through warm-ups, lots of dynamic movement on show, plenty of bounding, shuffling and other exhilarating movements.

So while they all get excited for what's to come, it's time to mark your card for what can happen tonight...

Sporting Lisbon's Bryan Ruiz - once of Fulham of course - seems like he's a tad emotional today.

The front man has played 111 times for his country but with Costa Rica on their way out, it seems this will be his last hurrah in a World Cup. He's shared a snap of his captain's armband and shirt for the evening along with a message pointing to his "last time in a World Cup".

He has 24 goals in his country's colours to date. Bringing up the quarter-century wouldn't be a bad way to go out on the top stage.

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Here is confirmation of that Swiss team, with Mario Gavronovic and Schalke's Breel Embolo coming in as the only two changes.

The midfield base is strong in Granit Xhaka and Valon Behrami and then there's some speed in the three men behind the lone striker. A strong unit.

Costa Rica make three changes to the side which came unstuck so late in the game against Brazil.

Joel Campbell gets a start up front, Kendall Waston comes in, as does Daniel Colindres, who plays his football for the well-named Deportivo Saprissa in Costa Rica.

Nothing to play for but pride for the side in white but something tells me they have plenty of that.

And one of them in the Costa Rica teams has openly said he will not feature at a World Cup again. More on that next...

I can tell you that Vladimir Petkovic has made two changes from the side which snatched a win over Serbia last time out. Haris Seferovic - who he normally likes and sticks with up top - is replaced by Dinamo Zagreb's Mario Gavranovic in the most eye-catching switch. Full teams to come in a moment.

Switrzerland have just arrived, led by coach Vladimir Petkovic who had one of those zip briefcase things tucked under his arm. This is very much a modern-day man thing. Some would call it a man purse.

Anyway, he looked good. Calm, poised, ready for a photoshoot in many ways and naturally, all his documents will be neatly filed.

While we are talking Petkovic and his dodgy choice of men's accessories, anyone else see him as a little bit of a Warren Gatland lookalike?

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Image source, Reuters

Let's polish Group E off then. Surely it will be Brazil and Switzerland winning through eh? These two fine chaps will party into the Nizhny Novgorod night with those hast on.

Who do you fancy? And could the eventual tournament winner come from this group?

I'm on #bbcfootball all night so drop me a line with your thoughts.

So go and get that fancy calculator out of the loft. You know, the one you bought in year seven when maths was supposed to get hard.

Time to bash those buttons as you work out the permutations as to who goes through to join Sweden, Mexico, England, but definitely not Germany.

Let's do this. I'm feeling Nizhny Novgorod all over.

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And this is what World Cup progress looks like. This is what you're looking for....

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This is what World Cup exit looks like....

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This is not a place you want to visit.