Switzerland round-up: Grasshoppers return in style
Sunday, March 2, 2003
Article summary
Grasshopper-Club moved four points clear of title-holders FC Basel with a 4-0 win against BSC Young Boys.
Article body
Grasshopper-Club moved four points clear of title-holders FC Basel with a 4-0 win against BSC Young Boys on the return of the Swiss First Division from the winter break with the leading six sides forming the championship group.
Nunez double
Newly-signed Grasshoppers defender Fernando Gamboa reacted quickly after a Young Boys ball hit the home crossbar and moved up to the other end to put his side ahead on six minutes. Richard Nunez double the lead with a 26th-minute penalty, and Mladen Petrić made it 3-0 just before the break. Nunez sealed the victory with his 15th goal of the season on 65 minutes.
Basel beaten
Basel, fresh from their continued UEFA Champions League campaign, suffered a 3-1 defeat at Neuchâtel Xamax FC. Christian Gross's men started brightly and took a deserved lead through Herve Tum's fine solo effort in the tenth minute. But the hosts came back after the interval and pulled level through Remo Buess in the 75th minute. Augustine Simo then put Xamax ahead four minutes later and Mangane Kader wrapped up the victory in stoppage time.
Thun draw
In the other match in the championship group, FC Thun and FC Wil 1900 drew 1-1.
