Swiss sweep up Euro 2008 hosts derby

AFP - 13 October 2007 22:51

Swiss forward Marco Streller is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a goal during their friendly match against Austria at the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich.

ZURICH (AFP) - Switzerland swept through a neighbourly battle with joint Euro 2008 hosts Austria on Saturday, shaking off a scrappy start to win the friendly 3-1.

Switzerland took an early lead through Marco Streller in the second minute after the Basel striker ran clear onto a perfectly-timed through ball by Leverkusen midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta from the Swiss half.

The Austrians quickly pulled one back as Kuljic troubled an unusually ill-coordinated Swiss defence to leave Salzburg's Rene Aufhauser to head past goalkeeper Fabio Coltorti.

The Swiss, missing key players, gradually found their feet in a scrappy first half and forced several saves from Austrian keeper Alexander Manninger once they accelerated the pace.

Barnetta pounced onto a mistimed Austrian pass, beat three defenders with sprint down the left wing and crossed behind the defence, leaving Hakan Yakin with a simple tap past the hapless Manninger for Switzerland's second.

Switzerland had the run of the second half, allowing the lanky Streller to head in from a Barnetta corner. Despite four substitutions up front, Austria failed to reverse the steam and rarely tested Coltorti.