Lugano win UEFA place
FC Lugano have secured a place in next season's UEFA Cup competition, leaving just one European spot up for grabs.
A 2-0 home win over bottom side Sion made sure that Lugano would be joining Swiss champions Basel and Swiss Cup finalists Grasshoppers Zurich in European action.
Lugano’s two Argentinean strikers Sergio José Bastida and Julio Hernan Rossi grabbed a goal apiece against Sion, who have now compiled a wretched run of 14 defeats in a row.
Grasshoppers remain third in the league after recording a 1-1 draw away to local rivals FC Zurich. Veteran Swiss international Stéphane Chapuisat scored the only goal for Grasshoppers, just 24 hours after hearing that his contract with the club would not be renewed next season.
Basel, who clinched the Swiss championship title on Wednesday, will be entered in the final qualifying round for next season’s Champions League while Lugano and Grasshoppers will both take part in the UEFA Cup.
The fourth European place is likely to go to Servette Geneva or Young Boys of Bern. Servette are currently four points ahead of Young Boys but the Bern side could close the gap to a single point on Saturday when the two teams meet in Geneva.
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