Swiss coach lashes referee as Russians strike back to draw

SWISS coach Kobi Kuhn accused Spanish referee Arturo Dauden Ibanez of showing clear bias against his team and insulting fans with a one-fingered gesture after their 2-2 draw with Russia in Ireland’s Group 10 on Saturday.

Kuhn, deeply disappointed at the manner in which Russia came back to secure a point after Switzerland had led 2-0, said he saw the referee “show one finger to the crowd” as they jeered and whistled him off the field.

The normally dapper and studious character said. “I don’t normally talk about the referee after a match, but this time I had to because this one was very bad.”

The referee irritated the crowd and broke up the game with a series of decisions that seemed unnecessary and eventually awarded a hotly-contested penalty against Switzerland from which the Russians grabbed a draw.

Striker Alexander Frei had scored in the 14th and 16th minutes to put the Swiss 2-0 up, but Sergei Ignashevic pulled one back with a header and then levelled from the spot.

“After the game I clearly saw him show one finger to the spectators,” said Kuhn. “I cannot accept this.” He conceded, however, that Switzerland had met a very strong and determined Russian team.

“I can live with this result because we are an emerging football nation and Russia is a strong one,” he said. “And we are still on top of the group.”

The result left Switzerland still two points clear at the top, now with nine points. Russia and Ireland both have seven points.

After a competitive opening spell on a sultry evening Frei struck his first goal from 20 metres after following up a shot by the hard-working Hakan Yakin.

Goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov fumbled, the ball ran loose and Frei found the net with a clean close-range finish.

The Swiss striker grabbed his second goal to complete a clever, fast move on the left as the ball was moved swiftly from veteran forward Stephane Chapuisat, making his 92nd appearance for Switzerland, inside to Yakin.

The quick-thinking Yakin was immediately under pressure, but flicked another square pass to his right and Frei drove the ball past Ovchinnikov from 15 metres.

Russia pulled a goal back after 24 minutes when central defender Sergei Ignashevich headed in a free-kick from Igor Yanovsky on the right.

In the second half, the Russians pushed hard for an equaliser and found it when attacking midfielder Igor Yanovsky tangled with midfielder Raphael Wicky, a disputed penalty was awarded.

After heated protests in which Murat Yakin was cautioned, Ignashevich drove the spot-kick high into the net to equalise after 68 minutes.

SWITZERLAND: J Stiel; B Haas, M Yakin, P Muller (S Henchoz 83), L Magnin (B Berner 60), R Cabanas, F Celestini, R Wicky (J Vogel 70), H Yakin, A Frei, S Chapuisat.

RUSSIA: S Ovchinnikov; V Berezutski, S Ignashevic, J Kowtun , R Gusev, A Smertin, I Yanovsky, Y Aldonin, A Karayka (P Bistrov 52), S Semak (D Yevsikov 82), D Popov (D Sitschew 46)

Referee: A Dauden Ibanez (Spain).