Xamax versus FC Basel, 2-2 - Swiss Super League recap
Swiss Super League leaders FC Basel played out an entertaining 2-2 draw with relegation battling Neuhatel Xamax. The match took place on Wednesday, April 20 at Stade La Maladiere. Raphael Nuzzolo’s injury time strike saved Xamax blushes as Basel were left hapless.
Xamax went in with a 4-5-1 formation. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Luca-Ferro-c22511 guarded the net.
Basel on the other hand went in with a standard 4-4-2 formation. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Franco-Costanzo-c14059 started the scoring for FCB.
The reigning champions kicked off the game as favourites and soon were in ascendency in terms of the ball possession. Didier Olle-Nicolle’s side, were being put under immense pressure as they were forced to sit back and defend. Basel kept on coming at Ferro’s goal and eventually the pressure paid off as the mid-fielder, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Valentin-Stocker-c35843, earned FCB an important lead on the 25th minute mark.
Thorsten Fink’s side, were on the front foot and Xamax constantly kept on chasing the game. The mid-fielders, Gelabert and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Omar-c28540 Ismaeel, got themselves booked in the lapse of one minute, as the hosts were finding it hard to break Basel’s defence. The mid-fielder, Ibrahima Niassie, triggered a blow to Basel’s hard-work, when he netted in an equaliser in the dying moments of the first half. Both teams went into the half-time, on level terms.
Basel pressed a lot harder in the second half in order to regain the advantage, but Xamax survived a couple of early scares in the second half. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Benjamin-Huggel-c7489 and Stocker caused a lot of problems upfront for the relegation fighters, but Xamax back-four stood firm and denied FCB from gaining back the advantage.
The striker, Frei, continued the momentum and took complete advantage after allowing his shot to rest in the back of the net. The goal came on the 73rd minute mark. Xamax introduced some fresh legs in order to surge the forwards at a rapid pace. With a few minutes remaining on the clock Xamax suddenly changed gears and dropped the hammer. This strategy worked in Xamax's favour as the mid-fielder, Nuzzolo, guided his shot into the net right at the stroke of full time.
This goal earned Xamax an all important point against the leaders, while http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Basel-c39079 had to swallow this bitter medicine. Xamax will now take on FC Zurich on Monday, April 25 while FC Basel will host Young Boys on Saturday, April 23 in their next fixture.
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