Switzerland kept their World Cup dream well and truly alive with a 2-0 win over troubled but lively debutants Togo on Monday.
Goals in either half from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta lifted Kobi Kuhn’s youngsters up to the top of Group G on four points, along with South Korea, who await them in their remaining first-round fixture on Friday.
France, who are lying third and two points adrift after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with the Koreans, take on Togo, who have nothing left to play for but honour.
The Africans, who only lifted their threat to boycott the game hours before kick-off after their long-running dispute over unpaid bonuses was finally settled, were without suspended captain Jean-Paul Abalo and fellow defender Ludovic Assemoassa.
The early exchanges were frenetic, with Frei heading into Togo keeper Kossi Agassa’s hands in the eighth minute, and down at the other end Mohamed Kader, who scored in Togo’s opening 2-1 loss to South Korea, sparking Pascal Zuberhuler into action.
Ricardo Cabanas and Borussia Dortmund winger Philipp Degen proved a menace for the Togo defence, which eventually succumbed to the pressure in the 16th minute.
Ludovic Magnin crossed from the left for Barnetta to flick on to Frei, who tapped in for Switzerland’s first goal of the World Cup.
This 26th international strike was a redeeming moment for the Rennes forward after he was sent home in disgrace from Euro 2004 after spitting at England’s Steven Gerrard.
Togo coach Otto Pfister made the first of a series of tactical changes before the half-hour mark, replacing midfielder Kuami Agboh with attacker Moustapha Salifou.
The Sparrowhawks had said they weren’t in Germany to make up the numbers and the Swiss backline could vouch for that as they pressed hard for the equaliser.
Patrick Muller prevented Switzerland conceding an equaliser with a fine late tackle to deprive Kader of a clear close-range shot.
Muller was then at the heart of a vocal appeal by Togo to Paraguayan referee Carlos Amarilla for a penalty in the 33rd minute after the Lyon defender’s tackle on Emmanuel Adebayor, who fell theatrically to the ground, though TV replays showed he may have been tripped.
Barnetta had a shot tipped over the bar early in the second half and shortly after that Frei hit over from close range.
Togo had Agassa to thank for keeping the Swiss from extending their lead, the keeper doing well to deny second-half substitute Hakan Yakin on the hour, but he was almost caught out by a Frei pot-shot from near the halfway line.
Kuhn, mindful that goal difference could figure highly in who goes through to the second round, bolstered his attack by replacing Cabanas with Cologne forward Marco Streller.
But it was to be Barnetta with a low angled shot from the right who was to come up with Switzerland’s second two minutes from time. — AFP
