Co-hosts Switzerland went down fighting by a solitary goal to the 2004 semi-finalists Czech Republic in the Euro 2008 opener in Group A at St Jakob Park in Basel on Saturday.
Substitute Vaclav Sverkos’ late goal proved to be the winner for the Czechs, who, however, were the second-best side compared to the hosts.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech made important saves to carry his side to a perfect start, as he time and again foiled all attempts by the Swiss, who lost their best player of the first half Alexander Frei just before half time to a knee problem.
Jakob Kuhn’s side saw a lot of early ball, and converted their possession into attacking moves with captain Frei coming up with the first shot on the rival goal, however, he dragged the long-range effort wide of the left post.
However, Frei’s two further attempts were on target, but Cech brought all his experience into play to deny the Swiss star.
There were opportunities for Tranquillo Barnetta, Valon Behrami and Gokhan Inler, but neither could pierce through the Czech defence.
At the other end, the Czechs failed to pose much of a threat for Diego Benaglio’s goal. The only time he had to make a reaction save in the first half was to tip to safety a deflected cross off his own defender Ludovic Magnin.
However, a clear chance went begging for Karel Bruckner’s side when giant striker Jan Koller failed to get his head onto a cross by Jaroslav Plasil from left channel.
The Swiss suffered a big blow towards the closing stages of the first half when Frei, who was visibly shattered, was forced off with a knee injury that could have finished his Euro campaign.
The Borussia Dortmund star did not take the field to start the second half and experienced campaigner Hakan Yakin was sent on as the replacement for the all-time top-scorer for the Swiss. The hosts, however, continued to dictate the terms to their rivals with the substitute coming close to scoring with a curling free kick.
Switzerland were lucky to get away with a defensive blunder at the hour mark when they failed to read a free kick from the right, but were relieved to see Libor Sionko missing a free header from point-blank range.
Yakin failed to direct his low headed effort on target after a fantastic opening was created by the spirited Swiss in the 66th minute.
Czech’s Sionko was stopped in his tracks by Arsenal’s Philippe Senderos, but seconds later the Czechs scored when substitute Sverkos put a calm low finish past Benaglio in the 71st minute after breaking through an off-side trap.
Kuhn in an effort to induce more cutting edge into the side, sent on Johan Vonlanthen in the 75th minute while taking off defender Stephan Lichtsteiner.
But they were unlucky not to have equalised in the 80th minute when a fierce low shot by Barnetta was parried but only as far as Vonlanthen, who struck the frame of the goal. In a frantic finale, Derdiyok sent his towering header over the cross bar, and referee Roberto Rosetti overlooked protests from Swiss over a handball in the closing seconds.
Teams:
Switzerland: Benaglio, Magnin, Senderos, Lichtsteiner (Vonlanthen 75), Inler, Frei (Hakan Yakin 46), Streller, Fernandes, Barnetta, Behrami (Derdiyok 84), Muller.
Substitutes not used: Zuberbuhler , Jakupovic, Djourou, Huggel, Cabanas, Grichting, Gygax, Spycher, Degen.
Coach: Jakob Kuhn.
Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Polak, Galasek, Jankulovski, Sionko (Vlcek 83), Koller (Sverkos 56), Jarolim (Kovac 87), Plasil, Ujfalusi, Rozehnal.
Substitutes not used: Blazek, Zitka, Fenin, , Kadlec, Baros, Matejovsky, Sivok, Skacel.
Coach: Karel Bruckner.
Substitute Vaclav Sverkos’ late goal proved to be the winner for the Czechs, who, however, were the second-best side compared to the hosts.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech made important saves to carry his side to a perfect start, as he time and again foiled all attempts by the Swiss, who lost their best player of the first half Alexander Frei just before half time to a knee problem.
Jakob Kuhn’s side saw a lot of early ball, and converted their possession into attacking moves with captain Frei coming up with the first shot on the rival goal, however, he dragged the long-range effort wide of the left post.
However, Frei’s two further attempts were on target, but Cech brought all his experience into play to deny the Swiss star.
There were opportunities for Tranquillo Barnetta, Valon Behrami and Gokhan Inler, but neither could pierce through the Czech defence.
At the other end, the Czechs failed to pose much of a threat for Diego Benaglio’s goal. The only time he had to make a reaction save in the first half was to tip to safety a deflected cross off his own defender Ludovic Magnin.
However, a clear chance went begging for Karel Bruckner’s side when giant striker Jan Koller failed to get his head onto a cross by Jaroslav Plasil from left channel.
The Swiss suffered a big blow towards the closing stages of the first half when Frei, who was visibly shattered, was forced off with a knee injury that could have finished his Euro campaign.
The Borussia Dortmund star did not take the field to start the second half and experienced campaigner Hakan Yakin was sent on as the replacement for the all-time top-scorer for the Swiss. The hosts, however, continued to dictate the terms to their rivals with the substitute coming close to scoring with a curling free kick.
Switzerland were lucky to get away with a defensive blunder at the hour mark when they failed to read a free kick from the right, but were relieved to see Libor Sionko missing a free header from point-blank range.
Yakin failed to direct his low headed effort on target after a fantastic opening was created by the spirited Swiss in the 66th minute.
Czech’s Sionko was stopped in his tracks by Arsenal’s Philippe Senderos, but seconds later the Czechs scored when substitute Sverkos put a calm low finish past Benaglio in the 71st minute after breaking through an off-side trap.
Kuhn in an effort to induce more cutting edge into the side, sent on Johan Vonlanthen in the 75th minute while taking off defender Stephan Lichtsteiner.
But they were unlucky not to have equalised in the 80th minute when a fierce low shot by Barnetta was parried but only as far as Vonlanthen, who struck the frame of the goal. In a frantic finale, Derdiyok sent his towering header over the cross bar, and referee Roberto Rosetti overlooked protests from Swiss over a handball in the closing seconds.
Teams:
Switzerland: Benaglio, Magnin, Senderos, Lichtsteiner (Vonlanthen 75), Inler, Frei (Hakan Yakin 46), Streller, Fernandes, Barnetta, Behrami (Derdiyok 84), Muller.
Substitutes not used: Zuberbuhler , Jakupovic, Djourou, Huggel, Cabanas, Grichting, Gygax, Spycher, Degen.
Coach: Jakob Kuhn.
Czech Republic: Cech, Grygera, Polak, Galasek, Jankulovski, Sionko (Vlcek 83), Koller (Sverkos 56), Jarolim (Kovac 87), Plasil, Ujfalusi, Rozehnal.
Substitutes not used: Blazek, Zitka, Fenin, , Kadlec, Baros, Matejovsky, Sivok, Skacel.
Coach: Karel Bruckner.
