Liechtenstein stand firm to damage Slovak hopes

Liechtenstein were 17 minutes away from claiming a first win in FIFA World Cup qualifying Group G but nevertheless earned their second draw in a row to prevent Slovakia keeping pace with both Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina at the summit.

With the top two sides picking up victories, Stanislav Griga's play-off chasers are four points behind the second-placed Greeks, but things could have been much worse after Martin Büchel put the hosts ahead at the Rheinpark. However, Ján Ďurica headed a second-half equaliser to save his country against the section's bottom team, who nevertheless take great pride from a pair of undefeated outings.

With Liechtenstein's key men Martin Stocklasa, Michele Polverino and Franz Burgmeier suspended, Slovakia went into the game confident they could get goals, but it quickly became obvious that would be no easy task. Confident in their approach, René Pauritsch's charges crafted several openings, and on 13 minutes Andreas Christen sent Büchel clear. With a deft shimmy he ghosted past Ďurica and calmly tucked in the opener.

The lead could even have been stretched shortly after the break but Sandro Wieser was denied by goalkeeper Dušan Kuciak and Mathias Christen could not take advantage of the rebound.

Slovakia had offered little in the opening period but improved after the interval, a fluency slowly finding its way into their passing, though Liechtenstein resisted sternly. That stubbornness was finally undone in the 73rd minute as Miroslav Stoch sent a free-kick into the area which his central defender nodded into the net.

A late flurry of visiting attempts was repelled by home custodian Peter Jehle, meaning Slovakia have a tough task to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, with a trip to free-scoring group leaders Bosnia and Herzegovina next on 6 September – when they must also hope Liechtenstein can do them a favour against Greece.