Switzerland - YUGOSLAVIA 1-2

Yugoslavia's coach Dejan Savicevic celebrates victory

Basel, SWITZERLAND, September 1 - Yugoslavia kept alive their hopes of travelling to the World Cup next year with a 2-1 victory over ten-man Switzerland in Basel. Third-placed Yugoslavia lie just a point behind Slovenia and two behind group leaders Russia.

In the 16th minute Turkyilmaz supplied the cross that allowed the Swiss to take the lead, Yakin slotting the ball past Kralj in the Yugoslav goal.

But the Yugoslavs levelled seven minutes before half-time, when Savo Milosevic finished coolly after a mistake by Swiss left-back Bruno Berner.

The visitors had already wasted a couple of gilt-edged chances, first when Mateja Kezman blasted over when clean through, then as an unmarked Milosevic headed wide.

Shortly after Krstajic had a goal disallowed for offside, the game was held up for several minutes as the large contingent of Yugoslav fans, who at times made the match seem like a home game for the visitors, threw flares on to the pitch.

The game turned on the 63rd minute sending-off of Swiss scorer Hakan Yakin. The Basel striker deliberately handled the ball into the Yugoslav net, earning himself a second yellow card.

From then on the Yugoslavs, always seemingly with something left in reserve, dominated.

Ten minutes after Yakin's dismissal, Mladen Krstajic rose unchallenged to head past Marco Pascolo, and only some desperate defending and a couple of fine saves from Pascolo prevented the visitors adding to their score.

SWITZERLAND: Pascolo, Zellweger (Frei 75), Murat Yakin, Mueller, Berner, Sesa (Chapuisat 75), Vogel, Fournier, Comisetti (Sforza 69), Hakan Yakin

YUGOSLAVIA: Kralj, Djukic, Mirkovic, Krstajic, Lazetic (Drulovic 67), Djordjevic, Jokanovic, Dmitrovic, Milosevic (Kovacevic 69), Mijatovic (Stankovic 79), Kezman.

2002 World Cup group one - previous results: Switzerland - Russia 0-1, Luxembourg - YUGOSLAVIA 0-2, Faroe Island - Slovenia 2-2, Switzerland - Faroe Islands 5-1, Luxembourg - Slovenia 1-2, Russia - Luxembourg 3-0, Slovenia - Switzerland 2-2, YUGOSLAVIA - Switzerland 1-1, Russia - Slovenia 1-1, Luxembourg - Faroe Islands 0-2, Slovenia - YUGOSLAVIA 1-1, Russia - Faroe Islands 1-0, Switzerland - Luxembourg 5-0, YUGOSLAVIA - Russia 0-1, Faroe Islands - Switzerland 1-0, Slovenia - Luxembourg 2-0, Russia - YUGOSLAVIA 1-1, Luxembourg - Russia 1-2, Switzerland - Slovenia 0-1, Faroe Islands - YUGOSLAVIA 0-6, YUGOSLAVIA - Faroe Islands 2:0, Faroe Islands - Luxembourg 1-0, Slovenia - Russia 2-1, Switzerland - YUGOSLAVIA 1-2.

Group 1 - current standings

                  G  W  D  L    F-A   Pts
1. Russia         8  5  2  1   11- 5   17 
2. Slovenia       8  4  4  0   13- 8   16 
3. Yugoslavia     8  4  3  1   15- 5   15 
4. Switzerland    8  3  2  3   15- 8   11 
5. Faroe Islands  8  2  1  5    6-17    7 
6. Luxembourg     8  0  0  8    2-19    0