“We achieved one dream when we arrived here, to be here, and now today is another little dream,” the Spaniard said after the match. “And we have the right to continue having the dream.”

The reigning AFC Asian Cup™ champions were outplayed for the majority of the tie by the heavily fancied Switzerland but a combination of steely defending and wayward finishing by the European outfit saw Lopetegui's side take a share of the spoils.

“We made very few changes, but we had to keep our plan because if you want to open too early against a team like Switzerland, you will suffer a lot,” he said.

“We believe, we work, we resist, we are resilient,” he said. “In the end, we have one big award for us.”

The draw left all four teams in Group B level after one round of matches, but for Lopetegui, its significance stretched beyond the standings.

“I was very proud about the mentality, about the discipline that the players showed," said the tactician, adding that recovery would be very crucial for Thursday's meeting with Canada.

“Our players need sometimes more time than the rest of the players because they are not used to this kind of rhythm,” he said. “We have to make one big effort to recover well and to be ready for the next big, big challenge.”

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