Swiss in sight of semis

By Andrew Haslam at Brügglifeld stadium

Hosts Switzerland put one foot in the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship as headed goals in the closing stages of each half, from Goran Antic and Arnaud Bühler, earned three Group A points against Belgium in Aarau.

Point for progress
The result left Pierre-André Schürmann's side with four points from two games, level with Ukraine who defeated holders Italy 1-0 in today's other game. The Ukrainians are Switzerland's next opponents, in Kriens on Sunday, when a point will be sufficient for both sides to progress.

Substitutes start
Switzerland made one change from the side that fought back to earn a 1-1 draw against Italy in the same stadium on Tuesday, Guilherme Afonso – who came on as a substitute in that game – taking the place of Slavisa Dugic. Two Belgians who appeared as replacements in the first match, Jonathan Legear and Bjorn Vleminckx, also won places in the starting lineup, with Dickson Agyeman the other change.

Bright Belgians
Schürmann had spoken of the need to build on the fine second-half form Switzerland showed against the Italians, but it was Belgium who began the brighter, with Swiss goalkeeper Sven König forced to catch Legear's right-wing cross inside the first minute. Switzerland then found their range, Antic unable to capitalise on two half-chances before Afonso put a free header wide from Valon Behrami's drifting right-wing cross.

Chances at both ends
Both teams carved out reasonable chances as the game neared the half-hour, König gathering Luwamo Garcia's long-range effort at the second attempt before Antic sent another effort centimetres past the post. The Swiss striker finally found his range seven minutes before half-time, however.

Diving header
Behrami did well down the right, breaking on to a long throw and crossing finding Antic again unmarked and this time he made no mistake, finding the net from close range with a diving header. It might have been two minutes later, but Afonso's flicked header from the edge of the penalty area dropped fractionally wide.

Enforced change
It was a quiet start to the second half, although a clash of heads between Veroljub Salatic and Nicolas Lombaerts held up play for several minutes. Although the Swiss central defender was able to continue after lengthy treatment, the Belgian captain was not so fortunate and made way for Nico Van Der Linden.

Swiss misses
Although Belgium needed a equaliser to revive their dwindling hopes, it was the Swiss who looked the more likely scorers as the half wore on, Afonso heading over before Dugic, who had replaced Antic just past the hour, latched on to a flick and held off Van Der Linden only to drag his shot wide of the far post from a narrowing angle.

Simple finish
Twelve minutes from time, the match was effectively ended as a contest. Reto Ziegler's deep right-wing corner was headed back across goal by Salatic and Bühler was left with a simple header from close range. It might have been more, Verbauwhede saving two long-range efforts from Fabrizio Zambrella and Sandro Burki's added-time shot, but the points had already been secured.