Swiss late show shatters Greece
Saturday 5 September 2009
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Switzerland took a decisive step towards a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with victory against nearest challengers Greece to move three points clear at the top of qualifying Group 2.
Vyntra off
Despite Loukas Vintra's first-half dismissal, the game looked to be heading for a goalless draw until late headers from Stéphane Grichting (84) and Marco Padalino (88) completed an impressive double for Ottmar Hitzfeld's side over the 2004 European champions and put them in the box seat with three games remaining.
Amanatidis miss
In front of a sell-out crowd of 38,500 at Basel's St. Jakob-Park, Switzerland grew in stature as the first half progressed with Gelson Fernandes and Padalino leading the way. Greece, however, coped well in a highly-charged atmosphere and should have taken the lead on 25 minutes only for Ioannis Amanatidis to fire wide. The momentum shifted Switzerland's way in added time at the end of the first half when Vintra was shown a second yellow card, but even with the man advantage Alexander Frei and Blaise Nkufo struggled to find space behind a disciplined Greek defence. Indeed Otto Rehhagel's side gave the home crowd a scare on 67 minutes when Diego Benaglio did well to parry Nikolaos Spiropoulos's shot.
Late goals
Hitzfeld threw on Eren Derdiyok and Hakan Yakin, but still Switzerland struggled to create chances and it was only after the introduction of Johan Vonlanthen with ten minutes to play that they finally found a way through. The FC Zürich forward was brought down with six minutes remaining and from the resulting free-kick Yakin crossed for Grichting to head in his first international goal in his 30th game. Four minutes later Frei provided the cross for Padalino to head the second and record Switzerland's fifth successive win in Group 2. They will look to make it six against Latvia in Riga on Wednesday, when Greece travel to Moldova.
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