Group 10: Swish Swiss on course
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Article summary
A 1-0 win against Russia last Friday has seen Switzerland open up a four point lead at the top of Group 1.
Article body
Pole position
That victory, followed by a 2-1 win against Albania on Tuesday night, has guaranteed at least a second-placed finish for the Swiss and they are in pole position to win a place in the play-offs for the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
'Mental strength'
A penalty scored by 17-year-old Johan Vonlanthen four minutes into added time gave Switzerland the win on Tuesday night and served to justify coach Bernard Challandes' belief that "mental strength" is his side's key characteristic.
Brave youngster
"I saw that none of my team-mates felt confident enough to take the penalty, so I took things into my own hands," said Vonlanthen, whose goal followed an 18th-minute opener from Albania's Bledar Mansaku and a 50th-minute equaliser by André Muff.
Russian hope
However, all is not lost for Russia, who have a game in hand on Switzerland, and, more significantly, have yet to play against Challandes' side at home. Russia play the Republic of Ireland away and Georgia at home either side of that fixture.
Teething problems
At the bottom of the table, a full ten points adrift of Russia, Ireland coach Don Givens is still finding teething problems among his players. A 1-1 draw at home against Georgia was a passable result for the coach, but mistakes cost his side.
'A present'
"I wasn't that happy with the first-half performance but the display in the second half was excellent," he said. "At times it was going OK but then we gave away a present of a goal.
Defensive lapses
"That's been our problem, we tend to make a mess of it at the back at some stage. Our defenders are not spectacular players but they are very solid defenders, especially the two lads at full-back, Stephen Kelly and Stephen Capper, who are still very young."
Bringing up the rear
A 2-1 win for the Irish against Albania was overturned into a 3-0 loss after it emerged that Givens' side fielded a suspended player, captain Liam Miller.
Possibility of appeal
That decision means that Albania are now third, five points behind the second-placed Russians while Ireland and Georgia bring up the rear on two points - the two sides having drawn 1-1 in both of their meetings.
