Double Swiss blow as Frei bows out

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-9  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

SWITZERLAND striker Alexander Frei was ruled out of the European Championship yesterday with a ruptured knee ligament.

The team's captain and record scorer was injured on Saturday in the opening match of the tournament in Basel after he was fouled from behind. He left the field in tears and, after heading to the dressing room, returned to the bench on crutches.

Team doctor Cuno Wetzel said Frei would be out for about six weeks. "Alex Frei knew immediately that he had been hurt badly."

Switzerland coach Koebi Kuhn said it was a big loss, but added that the team would have to focus on coming back from its 0-1 loss to the Czech Republic. "He was an important player. He was a goal-getter. But he's out. We have to move forward."

Frei was down for several minutes after being fouled from behind by Czech defender Zdenek Grygera shortly before halftime. He slowly walked off the field, a trainer on each side holding him, tears streaming down his face. After going to the bench, Frei walked half the length of the field, again with a trainer at each side, and made his way to the tunnel. He was replaced by Hakan Yakin when the second half began.

The injury leaves Switzerland short on strikers as it prepares for its match on Wednesday against Turkey.

A forward with Borussia Dortmund, Frei missed much of the Bundesliga season because of injuries. He has had a hip operation, two muscle tears and a calf injury in the last 13 months, but had battled back to full fitness.

He became Switzerland's leading scorer on May 30 when he had two goals against Liechtenstein, passing Kubilay Turkyilmaz. He now has 35 goals in 60 appearances.

The Czechs, on the other hand, were pleased to get three points in the bag but are well aware that they need to find some attacking spark if they are to go far in Euro 2008.

Against the co-host in a difficult opening match, they found themselves under pressure without creating much of their own before substitute striker Vaclav Sverkos found the net in the 71st minute.

"We didn't play the best we could have done but we know that," goalie Petr Cech said.

Like two years ago, the Czechs opened a major tournament with a win. Now they need to avoid a letup, like the one that led to a first-round exit at the 2006 World Cup.

While the Czechs focus on not letting history repeat itself, Switzerland hopes it can emulate 2004 host Portugal, which lost its opener to Greece but reached the final - only to lose again to Greece.