Switzerland round-up: Basel in top form

Swiss champions and UEFA Champions League hopefuls FC Basel signalled their intentions to hang on to their crown with a crushing 7-1 home victory over newly-promoted FC Wil 1900 last night.

Cantaluppi call up
Christian Gimenez put Basel ahead after eight minute but the visitors rallied within a minute and equalised through De Souza Fabinho's penalty. From then on though the hosts ran riot. Mario Cantaluppi celebrated his recent call up to the Swiss national team call by putting Basel 2-1 up after 15 minutes and Gimenez got his second of the night 17 minutes later.

Basel go second
Basel cruised through the second half, adding goals from Sébastien Barberis (50 minutes), Julio Hernan Rossi (69, 71) and Murat Yakin (81). The win puts Basel in second spot, six points behind current league leaders Grasshopper-Club, who clinched a thrilling 3-2 victory at FC St. Gallen.

Game turned on its head
St. Gallen were firmly on top after 50th minutes thanks to an Alves Neto Guido goal and a penalty from Ionel Gane. But it took Grasshoppers just nine minutes to turn things their way. Mate Baturina pulled a goal back in the 61st minute, before strikes from Antonio Barijho and Alexandar Mitreski turned the game on its head.

Other games
Elsewhere, BSC Young Boys moved into fourth in the table after recording a 4-2 home win against Servette FC, while Neuchâtel Xamax FC are sixth - their highest placing so far this season - after a 1-0 victory over FC Luzern courtesy of Leandro Fonseca's goal. Finally FC Zürich defeated SR Delémont 1-0 thanks to a Alhassane Keita goal.