Switzerland moved one step closer to securing a spot in the World Cup tournament with a solid 3-0 win over Luxembourg on Saturday.The victory helps the Swiss slay the ghost of a humiliating 1-2 defeat to the even smaller nation last year and further bolsters their position as point-leaders in their World Cup qualifying group.
The Swiss could earn a slot for the 2010 tournament as early as a few hours after the win before 5,000 Swiss fans in Luxembourg.
If Greece and Lativa draw in their match later on Saturday, the Swiss will have enough points to advance as Group 2 winners to the final rounds in South Africa. Switzerland has at least secured a place in the playoffs.
Time is running out. Each team in the group – which includes Switzerland, Israel, Luxembourg, Greece and Latvia and Moldova – is down to the last few matches left to play. Switzerland currently leads with 20 points. Greece and Lativa are tied for second in the group with 14 points each.
Attack
From the first second the Swiss seemed determined to seek revenge for last year's embarrassing loss.
Put out the fires immediately and attack: That was more or less the advice of Switzerland's coach, Ottmar Hitzeld, but one player took the order particularly to heart.
Philippe Senderos, who has signed with Geneva-based Arsenal, gave the group leaders a solid confidence boost by heading the ball past Luxembourg's keeper early on to give Switzerland a 2-0 lead.
Both goals came from standard plays. First, Alex Frei crossed the ball from the right when Senderos connected. For the second, it was Tranquillo Barnetta who set up the play from the left.
Normally Senderos would not have been allowed on the grass. Hitzfield has said in the past that only footballers who play for a club can play for him. Senderos has only been training with the Geneva club.
A fine exception
But exceptions happen, particularly when the guy who would have normally been in Senderos place, Stephane Grichting, amassed one too many yellow cards in previous play to be locked out of the game.
The quick start led the Swiss to a few moments of missed opportunities with poor passes and turnovers that should not have happened.
But Benjamin Huggel got the Swiss back on track with another header 22 minutes into the game to make it 3-0.
Hitzfeld celebrated, saying "mission accomplished". But he tempered the victory with a cautious look forward toward Switzerland's match against Israel in Basel on Wednesday, the last of the World Cup qualifying matches.
"We still haven't qualified," he said. "We still have a extremely complicated match to contend with. Israel is far stronger on offence than Luxembourg."
swissinfo.ch and agencies
