Five Goals for France in Win Over Switzerland

 2-5 

European neighbors Switzerland and France met today in Group E showdown with both teams coming off a win in the first round.  France rather easily handled Honduras who finished the match with ten men, while Switzerland edged Ecuador in a stoppage-time comeback.  Today the Swiss again scored late, but not before France took a sizable lead.

Very early in the match Switzerland were forced to make a change when defender Steve Von Bergen was caught in the face by the boot of Olivier Giroud.  The foul seemed accidental, but Von Bergen was bleeding to much to continue.  Philippe Senderos came in to take up the defensive role and the game only got worse from there for the Swiss.

France scored two successive goals, the first coming from a set-piece.  Mathieu Valbuena played a corner to the back-post for Giroud.  With a header, Giroud scored and gave France the lead (17').  Swiss keeper Diego Benaglio got a hand to the shot and nearly made the save, but could not reject the shot.

On the ensuing kick-off Valon Behrami made a terrible error that doubled the lead for France.  Behrami  did not look where he was passing and gave the ball right to Benzema.  Making a run up the left side, Matuidi was played in-on-goal by Benzema and finished with a driven shot to near-post (18').

Before half-time France added another goal on a counter-attack following a Swiss corner-kick.  Giroud cleared the corner delivery off the line and stormed forward.  Varane picked out the run from Giroud and played the ball for him into space.  Valbuena made a run up the opposite side and Giroud found him at the far-post for a tap-in finish (40').

At the end of the first-half the Swiss had virtually nothing going for them and could have down more had keeper Benaglio not stopped the penalty kick from Benzema.  He was fouled in the box by Djourou, but failed to score from the spot.  Benzema did score in the second-half though to increase the lead.  Paul Pogba chipped a ball into the box that defender Senderos whiffed while trying to clear.  Because of the whiff Benzema had a free shot and scored through the legs of the keeper (67').

Moussa Sissoko added a final goal for France shortly after.  Benzema played him into space and Sissoko hit the shot first-time to back-post (73').

The game was clearly decided at that point, but the Swiss continued to play and scored a pair of late goals.  The first was a free-kick by Blerim Dzemaili.  Keeping the shot low, Dzemaili's shot slipped through the wall and inside the post to break up the clean-sheet (81').  Granit Xhaka then scored what was probably the most impressive goal of the match.  Captain Inler played a ball over the top of the defense and Xhaka hit the shot on the volley out of the air for a second Swiss goal (87').

With two wins in two matches, France earn six points and sit at the top of Group E.  This loss for the Swiss is not necessarily detrimental to their advancement.  With one win in hand and the next match against the weakest of the group, Honduras, Switzerland still have a good chance of reaching the knock-out round.  The two late goals also improves their chances if goal-differential is a deciding factor.

Swiss Saved By Subs, Beat Ecuador

 2-1 

Group E was in action today with Switzerland and Ecuador playing in the first round.  Ecuador was led by the Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia, though it was Enner Valencia who initially put the South American team ahead.  A free-kick by fullback Walter Ayovi was placed inside the six yard box and Enner Valencia won the header to score for Ecuador (22').

Still behind at half-time, Switzerland needed more offense and brought Admir Mehmedi into the match.  Right away Mehmedi helped his country by scoring the equalizer.  Left-back Ricardo Rodriguez delivered a corner-kick into the box and Mehmedi scored with a head right in front of goal (48').

Then with about fifteen minutes left in the match Switzerland swapped strikers and replaced the ineffective Josip Drmic for a fresh Haris Seferovic.  On a counter-attack in the closing moments of the game Rodriguez again setup a substitute for a crucial goal.  Rodriguez rolled a cross to the near-post to connect with Seferovic who scored with his first touch (90 +3').

It was a tight match in the closing moments of regulation and Ecuador had their chances to retake the lead.  Unfortunately their best chance was denied and ended up leading to the counter-attack goal at the other end.  France and Honduras are the other two teams in Group E and will play later today.