FC Zurich maintained their three-point lead over Basle at the top of the Swiss Axpo Super League thanks to a 5-1 demolition of Young Boys at the Letzigrund.
Midfielder Almen Abdi opened the scoring in the 12th minute for FC Zurich before Tunisia striker Yasin Chikhaoui capitalised on a mistake in the Young Boys defence in the 22nd minute to make it 2-0.
Abdi grabbed his second, and FC Zurich's third, of the game in the 42nd minute. Brazilian striker Rafael De Araujo laid the ball off to Abdi and he unleashed a thunderous drive which flew past goalkeeper Marco Wolfli.
Young Boys tightened up in the second half and the home side did not find the net again until the 83rd minute when Rafael finished off a fine counter-attacking move.
The visitors scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute through experienced playmaker Hakan Yakin but FC Zurich hit back straight from the restart through Chikhaoui (89).
Second-placed Basle struck twice in the second half to record a 4-2 away victory over Lucerne at the Stadion Allmend.
Lucerne had taken the lead in the 13th minute when the energetic Mauro Lustrinelli beat the Basle offside trap before calmly slotting the ball past Balse goalkeeper Franco Costanzo.
Christian Gross' side levelled matters in the 22nd minute when Lucerne defender Mario Cantaluppi appeared to handle in the penalty area and defender Daniel Majstorovic converted the resulting spot-kick.
Basle took the lead for the first time in the match in the 27th minute through Marco Streller. The powerful striker was found by Carlos Alberto Carlitos and his shot beat Lucerne goalkeeper David Zibung.
The home side levelled matters heading into the half-time break after Majstorovic was adjudged to have handled in his own box and Cantaluppi stepped up to score the penalty.
Basle began to exert more control on the game in the second half and sealed the points thanks to a brace from Scott Chipperfield.
The Australia international made it 3-2 in the 55th minute with a curling effort from outside the penalty area and then saw his 63rd-minute shot nutmeg Zibung.
Elsewhere, Neuchatel Xamax scored in the last minute to clinch a 2-1 home victory over Aarau and move ahead of FC Sion into third place.
Defender Giuseppe Rapisarda gave Aarau the lead in the 42nd minute but a second-half strike from midfielder Raphael Nuzzolo (56) and a 90th-minute winner from defender Stephane Besle.
Abdi grabbed his second, and FC Zurich's third, of the game in the 42nd minute. Brazilian striker Rafael De Araujo laid the ball off to Abdi and he unleashed a thunderous drive which flew past goalkeeper Marco Wolfli.
Young Boys tightened up in the second half and the home side did not find the net again until the 83rd minute when Rafael finished off a fine counter-attacking move.
The visitors scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute through experienced playmaker Hakan Yakin but FC Zurich hit back straight from the restart through Chikhaoui (89).
Second-placed Basle struck twice in the second half to record a 4-2 away victory over Lucerne at the Stadion Allmend.
Lucerne had taken the lead in the 13th minute when the energetic Mauro Lustrinelli beat the Basle offside trap before calmly slotting the ball past Balse goalkeeper Franco Costanzo.
Christian Gross' side levelled matters in the 22nd minute when Lucerne defender Mario Cantaluppi appeared to handle in the penalty area and defender Daniel Majstorovic converted the resulting spot-kick.
Basle took the lead for the first time in the match in the 27th minute through Marco Streller. The powerful striker was found by Carlos Alberto Carlitos and his shot beat Lucerne goalkeeper David Zibung.
The home side levelled matters heading into the half-time break after Majstorovic was adjudged to have handled in his own box and Cantaluppi stepped up to score the penalty.
Basle began to exert more control on the game in the second half and sealed the points thanks to a brace from Scott Chipperfield.
The Australia international made it 3-2 in the 55th minute with a curling effort from outside the penalty area and then saw his 63rd-minute shot nutmeg Zibung.
Elsewhere, Neuchatel Xamax scored in the last minute to clinch a 2-1 home victory over Aarau and move ahead of FC Sion into third place.
Defender Giuseppe Rapisarda gave Aarau the lead in the 42nd minute but a second-half strike from midfielder Raphael Nuzzolo (56) and a 90th-minute winner from defender Stephane Besle.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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