[www.inewsguyana.com] – The 2014 World Cup is now nine matches deep and, remarkably, still haven’t seen its first tie after Switzerland’s last-gasp 2-1 victory over Ecuador. Ricardo Rodriguez’s 93rd-minute cross was slammed into the net by substitute Haris Seferovic, giving the Swiss all three points and a massive leg up in their bid to advance from Group E.
Seferovic’s goal came only seconds after Ecuador striker Michael Arroyo had an opportunity to win it for his team, but failed to pull the trigger from 12 yards out and was dispossessed by Valon Behrami, starting the Swiss counterattack that ended in Seferovic’s goal.
Ecuador became the fifth team in the tournament to score first and go on to lose, after only three teams lost in such a situation in the entire 2010 World Cup. Enner Valencia gave “La Tri” the lead in the 22nd minute, rising unmarked and heading home a Walter Ayovi free kick from all of five yards.
But the goal sparked the Swiss attack into life, and despite a handful of Ecuadorian chances, Ottmar Hitzfeld’s team would have the better of play for the remainder of the match. Substitute Admir Mehmedi leveled the scores less than two minutes into the second half, heading in a free kick from close range in a near-carbon copy of Valencia’s goal — right down to the stunning lack of defense.
Josep Drmic would have a goal wrongly disallowed for offside midway through the second half, and with neither side generating much in the way of clearcut chances in the match’s final 20 minutes, the tournament’s first draw seemed a certainty. But Rodriguez and Seferovic had other ideas
