In an all-out assault that was flattering to the visitors, host Bayern München defeated FC Zürich 2-0 in the opening leg of their Champions League tie.

After an early flurry from FCZ that saw Amine Chermiti’s header drift wide, the contest was a one-way street with the German powerhouse in absolute control. Coming at eighth minute Bayern took the lead they would not relinquish as Afashioned a chance on the left as he surged towards the by-line before delivering a pin-point cross to the back post the Bastian Schweinsteiger nodded into the net. With the one-goal advantage, Bayern lay siege upon the FCZ end but goalkeeper Johnny Leoni was up for the challenge as well as seeing Jupp Heynckes side, most notably Mario Gómez, squander an array of opportunities. Skipper Philipp Lahm had a gifted chance to double the margin after a classy build-up of play with Franck Ribéry but his effort was denied leaving Bayern wondering what more they could through at FCZ.

At the re-start Bayern pressed forward with ‘keeper a veritable spectator until the sixty-eighth minute. Quickly Mario Gómez was in prime position via Franck Ribéry’s provision but he pushed the wide before seeing a further chance denied by the ‘keeper. Franck Ribéry later found a way to get past the in-form goalkeeper with a curling free-kick only to see the ball rasp off the woodwork before being cleared to safety. As the sixty-eighth minute FCZ won its first corner, with Ricardo Rodriguez’s effort from the right played poorly by Bayern ‘keeper Manuel Neuer and narrowly missed being parried into the net. With a one goal margin and heading to Switzerland, Bayern had to be concerned but that was answered with eighteen minutes remaining in regulation as Arjen Robben ducked inside from the right before pinning the ball to the left side of the net. While Bayern continued to press for the third goal, FCZ was able with withstand their advances with the match concluded 2-0 in favour of the hosts.

Prepared by John Davies
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FC Zürich continued its turnaround with a stunning 2-1 stunning last gasp victory over rivals Basel in front of a near capacity crowd St.Jakob-Park in week five of the Swiss Super League.

Coming off the shocking 6-0 Derby victory over rivals Grasshopper, FCZ manager Urs Fischer made a single change to his line-up with Mathieu Béda entering for Heinz Barmettler.

After an early close miss by Dusan Djurić the hosts began to assert themselves with Xherdan Shaqiri sending a probing effort from distance just wide right of the woodwork. Soon thereafter David Abraham nodded a corner wide but the Argentine, a product of Independiente, made up for it on the half-hour with a spellbinding goal. Via a corner from the left to the back post, Aleksandar Dragovic nodded the ball for David Abrahim who scored with a stunning bicycle kick to give Basel the 1-0 lead. FCZ quickly countered with Philippe Koch playing Alexandre Alphonse on the right only to see his effort rasped off the‘keepers mitts to the post and then safety.

Seven minutes after the break FCZ lost Stjepan Kukuruzović to an injury to his right knee after coming down hard from a challenge, with Oliver Buff called into the affair. FCZ was fortunate not to lose Dusan Djurić after he rolled into the post in pursuit of the long cross, though it appeared Basel defender Genséric Kusunga edged him along. Basel continued to hunt for the insurance marker but with three minutes remaining in regulation time FCZ pulled even as Oliver Buff’s free kick from the left was headed in by Mathieu Béda from eight metres. Looking like a draw was in the horizon, Amine Chermiti shocked the home crowd in the third minute of added-time as he latched onto a long provision on the right before surging in the area, shifting the ball to his left and firing a low drive to the opposite corner of the net to give FC Zürich the 2-1 victory.

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After a deplorable start to the Swiss Super League campaign that had seen them lose their opening three contests, FC Zürich humiliated local rivals Grasshoppers 6-0.

Coming off the loss to Lausanne, FCZ manager Urs Fischer made three adjustments to his line-up with Heinz Barmettler, Ricardo Rodríguez and Stjepan Kukuruzović entering for Mathieu Béda, Ludovic Magnin and Oliver Buff.

Zürich wasted little time in asserting their dominance and coming at the quarter-hour Silvan Aegerter sent a dipping effort from twenty-five metres past the Grasshopper ‘keeper to start the long parade of goals. While FCZ continued to press to extend the lead, including a questionable offside call that pulled a goal back, they had to be satisfied with the one goal advantage as they went to the change rooms.

Coming out for the second half, Grasshoppers had little idea what was in store for them and FCZ erupted for five answered goals. Starting four minutes after the re-start FCZ doubled the margin as Alexandre Alphonse raced onto an attempted clearance of a right wing and sent a booming left footed effort near the spot into the net. At the fifty-third minute Raphael Koch added his name to the score-sheet as the twenty-one year-old defender deftly headed in a corner to the right. Seeing red, FCZ attacked their rivals with Admir Mehmedi making it 4-0 at the sixty-seventh minute as he raced on a long clearance to the right before moving inside to deliver the ball from just inside the area to the near corner. With thirteen minutes remaining Stjepan Kukuruzović took advantage of porous defending and accepted the ball from Marco Schönbächler and bearing straight down on the keeper, sent it to the right corner of the net. After Bruno Bertucci was sent off, forcing Grasshoppers to play the remaining time with the man disadvantage, Adrian Nikci rounded out the scoring at the eighty-seventh minute as a re-directed free-kick on the right came fortuitously to him at the back post where he then slotted it in to give FC Zürich the 6-0 victory.

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In the final contest on Saturday of week nineteen of the Sogaz Championship of Russia, veteran striker Héctor Bracamonte found his scoring touch to lead Rostov past Volga Nizhny Novgorod 1-0, despite his side finishing with only nine men.

In a tightly played encounter, chances were sparse before Héctor Bracamonte notched the winning margin with eight minutes remaining in regulation time. Formerly a deadly striker with FC Moscow his output had plummeted since moving to Terek Grozny in the summer of 2009. Demonstrating his vast predatory skills the thirty-three year old striker zeroed on a loose ball following Timofei Kalachev’s corner from the right and delivered a left footed effort to the roof of the net from six metres. Sergei Balakhnin’s men were forced through a trying balance of time as Anis Boussaidi was sent off with a straight red-card, then joined by Alexandru Gaţcan at the eighty-eighth minute but with firm resolve they held onto the 1-0 victory.

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FC Zürich attoned for their dreadful start to the Swiss Super League, with a 1-0 defeat of Standard de Liège at Stadion Letzigrund to claim a spot in the Champions League playoff with a 2-1 aggregate victory over the Belgian powerhouse.

FCZ, who have stumbled out of the gate in the domestic campaign, entered the day in dire need of a victory in front of the home supporters. However, the early stages saw the visiting “Les Rouches” come out the stronger of the two with striker Mohamed Tchite sending an early probing effort. The complexion of the match changed nine minutes shy of the half hour when Yoni Buyens was adjudged a penalty and red-card for bringing down Admir Mehmedi in the area. In the ensuing effort from the spot, the Liège ‘keeper dove to his right to stop Admir Mehmedi’s effort and maintin the deadloak. The momentum now shifted in FCZ’s favour with twenty-year old Swiss international coming close before the break but after seeing his effort come up for naught both sides went to the change rooms with contest scoreless.

Zürich continued to press and at the fifty-eighth minute Silvan Aegerter deftly played the ball through on the right side of the area, to which Admir Mehmedi lofted the ball over the sprawling goalkeeper. Though Liège poured back in search of the leveller, host goalkeeper Johnny Leoni could not be beaten and FC Zürich claimed the 1-0 victory, to advance to the Champions League playoffs with a 2-1 aggregate.

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FC Zürich’s hellacious start to the Swiss Super League continued as they fell 2-1 to host Lausanne-Sport. The loss, Zürich’s third consecutive since the start of the campaign as they floundering at the bottom of the league with many questions ahead of next weeks Derby against Grasshoppers.

Coming off the draw to Standard Liège in the Champions League, Zürich manager Urs Fischer made three changes that was shocked by Sevette last week, summoning Mathieu Béda, Ludovic Magnin and Oliver Buff in for Heinz Barmettler, Ricardo Rodríguez and Xavier Margairaz.

Martin Rueda’s newly promoted side brought the 6,500 fans in attendance to their feet at the fortieth minute as a careless blunder deep in the FCZ final third saw Nicolas Marazzi latch onto a errant ball before surging forward and sliding to his right for Jocelyn Roux who then sent a left footed effort to the corner of the net from twelve metres.

Four minutes shy of the hour FCZ notched the leveller as Alexandre Alphonse got on the end of a through ball on the right by-line and cleverly slid it back for a charging Dusan Djurić to drive into the net. Now level, Mr. Fisher added Adrian Nikci for Marco Schönbächler, with Milan Gajić for Dusan Djurić ten minutes later as FCZ continued to search for illusive winning margin. However heroics were in store for the hosts as with twenty minutes remaining on a quick counter Nicolas Marin curled a cross from the right into the box that Jocelyn Roux powerfully headed into the net from eleven metres. The FCZ tactician quickly added Stjepan Kukuruzović for Silvan Aegerter as they hunted for the leveller but it was not to be as match concluded 2-1 in favour of Lausanne-Sport.

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In the opening leg of their third-round Champions League qualifier, FC Zürich came within moments of important win before Nacho González’s added-time striker for Standard Liège brought the match to a 1-1 draw, honours even.

After a difficult start to the Swiss Super League Urs Fischer’s made the trip to the beautiful Belgian city with a firm resolve to maintain tight defensive lines and attack on the counter. Chances were rare sighting in the early stages with Les Rouges first noteworthy moment coming at the eighteenth minute when Pape Camara sent a booming effort wide. Twelve minutes later Zürich ‘keeper Johnny Leoni pawed away Jelle Van Damme’s menacing header of Sébastien Pocognoli’s corner as both sides went to the break in a scoreless deadlock.

The Belgian side looked to have taken the lead seven minutes shy of the hour when Aloys Nong deftly sent the ball over FCZ ‘keeper keeper Johnny Leoni only to see defender Philippe Koch clear the effort before it crossed the line. At seventy-eighth minute the hosts were punished for the inability to convert on opportunities as twenty-year old rising star Admir Mehmedi volleyed Ricardo Rodríguez’s provision from the left into the net past the Liège ‘keeper for the 1-0 lead. In search of the leveller the host tactician summoned Nacho González in for Aloys Nong, a move that would pay rich dividends. As time ticked down and with victory in sight for Zürich, Nacho González nodded Leye Mbaye’s free-kick from the left to the near post to bring the match to a final, 1-1 draw honours even.

Prepared by John Davies
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