Football News : Internationals: Five-star Swiss stun Germany

Bookmark and Share

By ESPN staff





Ottmar Hitzfeld's Switzerland beat his home country in an eight-goal thriller in Basel, giving Germany coach Joachim Low plenty of food for thought with just days to go before he has to hand in his 23-man squad for Euro 2012.

Switzerland's hat-trick hero Eren Derdiyok celebrates a goal against Germany
PA PhotosSwitzerland's hat-trick hero Eren Derdiyok celebrates a goal against Germany

It was Switzerland's first win over Germany in 56 years and one they will
remember for a long time to come as a hat-trick from Eren Derdiyok and further goals from Stephan Lichtsteiner and Admir Mehmedi earned them a resounding 5-3 victory.


Second-half goals from Adrian Lopez and Santi Cazorla were enough to hand a makeshift Spain side a 2-0 victory over Serbia in Saint Gallen.

Xabi Alonso had come closest to breaking the deadlock in a poor first-half with an audacious effort from well inside his own half that drifted just over the bar.

However, the introduction of Adrian on his international debut after the break provided the spark that the world champions needed as he first headed home Jesus Navas' teasing cross and was then brought down by Branislav Ivanovic to allow Cazorla to seal the victory from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining.

Brazil striker Hulk scored twice and had a hand in Niki Zimling's own goal as EURO 2012 qualifiers Denmark produced an error-strewn display in a 3-1 defeat in Hamburg.

Hulk celebration Brazil v Denmark
PA PhotosHulk celebrates after scoring Brazil's opening goal against Denmark

The Porto forward was in the squad as a replacement for Neymar, who had Copa Libertadores commitments, took just seven minutes to open the scoring with a powerful long-range shot which dipped beneath the dive of goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.

Brazil were two ahead four minutes later when Oscar's cross into the box was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Zimling and made it 3-0 before half-time when Hulk finished from a laying off from Oscar.

Denmark, who saw Sorensen and midfielder Lasse Schone go off injured, netted a consolation goal through Nicklas Bendtner.

Shane Long ensured the Republic of Ireland will head off on their Euro 2012
adventure on the back of a victory with the only goal in a 1-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The West Brom striker's 78th-minute header was enough to claim victory in the
Republic's final game on home soil before the finals.

Giovanni Trapattoni's men might have won more comfortably in front of a crowd
of 37,100 with the post, the bar and the heroics of keeper Asmir Begovic denying
them.

The win extended Ireland's unbeaten run to 13 games a day before they leave for
their pre-tournament training camp in Montecatini, Italy.

Trapattoni had chosen the Bosnians because he knew they would be technically
adept and tactically astute, and would provide his side with exactly the sort of
challenge they will face next month with Croatia, Spain and Italy standing
between them and their dream of reaching the quarter-finals.


{ 0 comments... Views All / Send Comment! }

Posting Komentar

Recent Post