adminBRASïLIA. — Haris Seferovic scored in the last minute of injury time to grab Switzerland a dramatic 2-1 win over Ecuador in their Group E game at the World Cup finals in Brasilia yesterday.
Seferovic’s winner capped a remarkable comeback by the top seeds in the group as fellow substitute Admer Mehmidi had taken just 121 seconds to make his mark as he levelled the game in the 48th minute.
Enner Valencia had given Ecuador the lead midway through the first-half as he scored for the fifth successive game for his country.
Victory was Switzerland’s first over South American opposition in the World Cup finals having lost their previous four and the win had even veteran coach Ottmar Hitzfeld jumping up and down for joy in what is his farewell tournament.
Ecuador had started the brightest and it was little surprise when they went ahead in the 22nd minute as former captain Walter Ayovi whipped in a superb freekick from the left and the unmarked Enner Valencia rose to send his header past Diego Benaglio and into the net. The Swiss were finding it hard to settle and it took them almost half an hour to conjure up their first chance as Valentin Stocker beat his marker to a corner but his header went just wide.
That seemed to give them some confidence and 10 minutes before half-time captain Goekhan Inler worked some space and unleashed a vicious low shot that Ecuador goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez did well to get down to and turn away for a corner. — AFP.
Online Reporter