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FC Zurich Secures Swiss Title After 25 years

FC Zurich secured their first Swiss title for 25 years after a dramatic 2-1 victory over FC Basel 1893. This is a remarkable achievement for Zurich, who remained unheated for their last 24 league games. Basel had not been beaten at home since December 2002, a run of 59 league games, which ended after the last meet with Zurich.

Z?rich went into the game needing victory to snatch the title from Basel on goal difference, and went in front through Alhassane Keita on the half-hour mark. A Mladen Petri? free kick swung the balance back towards Basel on 72 minutes, but the home fans were silenced in the third minute of added time when Filipescu weighed in decisively with his first goal of the season.

Christian Gross`s side seemed at one-point certainties to claim their third consecutive Swiss title, and topped the table for nearly 30 weeks. They needed just a single point from their final two games but defeat against BSC Young Boys last weekend set up the thrilling last-day decider.
Z?rich`s tenth title means president Sven Hotz finally has something to show for the large sums of money he has poured into the club. It is also a vindication of coach Lucien Favre`s attacking style of football. He nearly lost his job in 2003 after just six months in the job, and Z?rich fans are no doubt delighted that he was given time to turn the club around.