Challandes signals Swiss achievement

Bernard Challandes felt FC Zürich proved they could "hold our own at international level" as an FC Basel 1893 win completed a fine night in the UEFA Cup for Swiss sides.

'A massive success'
Challandes' side won 2-1 at AC Sparta Praha with goals from Oumar Kondé and Alexandre Alphonse overturning an early deficit to the delight of the coach. "My team showed a great deal of courage to battle their way back into the game," he said. "We proved that we can hold our own at international level." Daily paper Tages-Anzeiger concurred that a first away win since beating Legia Warszawa 1-0 in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup second qualifying round represented "a massive success" for Zürich.

'Perfect reward'
Basel, meanwhile, also did Switzerland proud, opening their UEFA Cup group stage account with a 1-0 win at home against French challengers Stade Rennais FC. Marco Streller scored the only goal of the game, with newspaper Basler Zeitung concluding that it was "the perfect reward for hard work". Basel will be back in action again on Matchday 2 as they travel to face NK Dinamo Zagreb in Group D, while champions Zürich will return to Group E action on 29 November at home to Toulouse FC.