Swiss keep dreams alive with win over lacklustre Cyprus

Switzerland 3 Cyprus 1

But the Swiss will be hoping the Cypriots put up stiffer resistance when group rivals Ireland come to visit in October in a crunch match that will help decide who goes to Germany next year.

Swiss coach Jakob Kuhn agreed his side were out of sorts but was happy to remain top of the group with a healthy goal difference.

Without creating too much themselves, the Swiss took the lead after 15 minutes through Alexander Frei who smashed home the rebound from his own shot and keeper Michalis Morfis found it too hot to handle.

Cyprus levelled the score before half time via a thick slice of fortune, when keeper Pascal Zuberbuhler misjudged the bounce of a long ball, sailing over his finger tips on the edge of the area, allowing speedy winger Aloneftis to stroll it into an unguarded net. The Larissa striker even had time to punch his fist in the air before scoring.

Frei, the group’s top scorer, should have made it 2-1 soon after the interval but he directed a free header wide of the upright.

However, the lead was secured on 70 minutes by unlikely goal hero Philippe Senderos who was allowed space to get in a shot from wide on the left with a deflection wrong-footing a stranded Morphis.

Switzerland then put the game beyond reach with a late goal from Daniel Gygax who looped a header past the keeper.

This was an open contest with both sides looking to get forward at every opportunity as Cyprus looked to avenge a 1-0 defeat in Switzerland and make good on their first victory in the qualifiers against the Faroes Island.

Cyprus’s Greek coach Angelos Anastassiades saw red during that game and spent this match in the stands as punishment. He will feel the scoreline flattered the opposition but his players lacked the required passion to defeat the Swiss in front of a sparse home crowd.

CYPRUS: Morfis, Elias, Okkarides, Louka, Aloneftis, Krassias, Okkas, Charalambidis, Micheal Constantinou, Michael, Elia.

SWITZERLAND: Zuberbuhler, Vogel, Wicky, Frei, Barnetta, Spycher, Muller, Gygax, Vonlanthen, Senderos, Degen.

Referee: Nikolai Ivanov (Russia)