Switzerlands meeting with Sweden in Geneva on Saturday is expected to move Murat Yakins side a step closer to sealing World Cup qualification.
They are unbeaten in Group B and have played with the poise of a team that expects to be in North America next summer.
However, Swedens recent managerial change adds a layer of uncertainty to a fixture that would otherwise look routine.
Yakins team have set the standard in the group with ten points from four games, supported by a defensive record that has made them the most secure side in the qualifying phase.
They have not conceded a goal, they have not lost a competitive match in eight outings, and they have kept five consecutive clean sheets across all competitions.
Even the draw with Slovenia last time out did little to disrupt the rhythm they have carried since the start of the campaign.
Their ong unbeaten run at home strengthens the expectation that they will control the tempo again on Saturday.
The Swiss have been consistent qualifiers for nearly two decades, and their current trajectory reinforces that reputation.
With the group entering its final stretch, another win would give them a margin of comfort before a potentially decisive closing round.
Sweden arrive in Geneva in a very different position. They are bottom of the group with one point and have struggled through a qualification campaign that has lacked fluency, authority and attacking threat.
Their 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in the reverse fixture typified a run in which they have scored only twice and conceded seven in four matches.
The result prompted the Swedish Football Association to dismiss Jon Dahl Tomasson and appoint Graham Potter in an effort to stop the slide.
Potters arrival is intended to reset the teams structure and mentality, even if expectations of an immediate transformation are measured.
His presence offers Sweden a chance to stabilise and perhaps generate a short-term response, which has often been the case when national teams appoint new managers during difficult spells.
Sweden still have a theoretical path to the play-offs through their Nations League ranking. That faint possibility may be enough to drive a performance built on urgency rather than resignation.
Switzerland are the clear favourites given their form and the tactical clarity of their campaign.
Swedens need for a reaction, combined with the boost of a new manager, means the hosts may have to work harder than the table suggests if they want to maintain their control of Group B.