Basel narrowly defeat Servette
Basel have come one step closer to becoming championship winners, after a narrow 3-2 victory against Servette.
Most of the match, however, was dominated by the Geneva team, who took the lead on two occasions after goals by Alexander Frei and Hilton Da Silva. Basel tied the score with two goals by Ivan Ergic and Christian Gimenez.
Despite a golden opportunity to beat the league leaders, Servette’s Brazilian player, Hilton, then made a fatal error, accidentally scoring against his own side after 88 minutes of play.
“This was a very important victory for us,” said Basel coach Christian Gross. “We proved our mental strength after making a comeback twice.”
With Sunday’s fourth consecutive home victory, Gross’s team have edged closer to winning the title for the first time in 22 years.
They remain seven points ahead of Grasshoppers, who have 36 points, and eight points ahead of Lugano.
By winning next Sunday’s match against Grasshoppers, Basel are sure to take the title.
Other football action
In Sunday’s other football action, St Gallen defeated Bern’s Young Boys 3-1 with two goals by Ionel Gane and another by Pascal Jenny. St Gallen signed their first victory since winning their match 4-3 against Neuchâtel Xamax on October 14 last year.
Zurich were less successful than St Gallen, after losing 2-0 against third-ranked Lugano. The Ticino team have maintained their winning streak, despite their club’s delicate financial situation, and the recent death of its president, Helios Jormini.
Lugano can still qualify for the UEFA cup, unlike St Gallen, who lost all hope after losing 3-1 against Basel on Thursday.
The Ticino team could even grab Grasshoppers’ second place in the overall standings if their progression continues. The Zurich team have played poorly in recent matches, despite winning 2-0 against Sion on Saturday.
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