Sion set the pace

Lugano's Gimenez (right) comes under pressure from Sion's Ekobo (centre) and Hottiger (left) Keystone

League leaders Sion have maintained their perfect start to the season with a 1-0 away victory over last season's runners-up Lugano.

There was also good news for Basel who bounced back from last week’s 1-8 drubbing at the hands of Sion to beat Servette 3-1. While newly promoted Young Boys continued to show promise by beating one of the pre-season favourites Lausanne 3-2.

After last week’s 8-1 pounding of Basel, it was probably expecting too much for Sion to serve up another goal feast, especially away at Lugano’s Cornaredo stadium. However their hopes of an upset rose in the 42nd minute when Razzetti, the Lugano ‘keeper, was sent off for handling the ball outside his penalty area.

But it was not until well into stoppage time – in the 93rd minute of the game – that Sion finally managed to make their extra man count. The substitute M’Futi, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, scored with a deflection.

Away at Pontaise, newcomers Young Boys showed little respect for Lausanne and raced into the lead with a goal from Sermeter as early as the eighth minute. But it was the club’s new striker, Berisha, who proved to be the game’s star turn, scoring in the 34th and 61st minutes as Young Boys stunned Lausanne by taking a 3-0 lead.

Kuzba finally managed to give the home side’s supporters something to cheer about when he grabbed two goals in the final 10 minutes.

Over in Basel, there was further grief for Servette who have now leaked five goals in their first two matches and remain at the foot of the table. Once again the young international strike partnership of Thurre and Frei failed to fire and they were both substituted early in the second half.

By then the match was all but won by Basel who were 3-0 up after only 18 minutes, with their goalkeeper, Zuberbühler, a virtual spectator for the whole of the match.

Tum opened the scoring from an Ergic corner in the fifth minute. Five minutes later it was Ergic’s turn to get his name on the score sheet after some neat work from Varela. Then Huggel rubbed salt into Servette’s wounds, scoring from a free kick. The substitute Obradovic grabbed a consolation goal for the visiting side in the 90th minute.

swissinfo with agencies