Switzerland beats Montenegro 2-0 in Euro qualifier

Published Oct. 11, 2011 9:32 p.m. ET

foxsports

Switzerland ended its disappointing 2012 European Championship campaign with a 2-0 win Tuesday against Montenegro, which had already advanced to next month's playoffs.

Eren Derdiyok scored a fortunate 51st-minute opener and defender Stephan Lichtsteiner got his first international goal with a powerful shot in the 65th.

Switzerland made Montenegro goalkeeper Mladen Bozovic save well from first-half efforts by Valon Behrami and Granit Xhaka, and three times when Admir Mehmedi threatened later.

Montenegro coach Branko Brnovic made sweeping changes from the lineup which drew 2-2 with group winner England last Friday, resting some players to avoid getting yellow cards that would trigger a suspension in the first leg of the playoffs.

Playing in its first European qualifying campaign, the Balkan republic is unseeded in the eight-team draw being conducted on Thursday in Krakow, Poland.

Montenegro created its best first-half chance in the 14th, when Dejan Damjanovic's cross-shot was blocked by 'keeper Diego Benaglio as Radomir Djalovic lurked in the goalmouth.

Derdiyok went close with a curling shot in the 32nd, then scored almost unintentionally soon after the break.

The Bayer Leverkusen forward flicked a pass into the penalty area toward the surging Xhaka, who distracted Bozovic as the ball drifted past both into the net.

Djalovic broke clear two minutes later but his shot was blocked by Benaglio.

Lichtsteiner finally scored in his 42nd national team appearance, taking Gokhan Inler's pass in his stride to shoot right-footed across Bozovic into the far corner of the net.

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Lineups:

Switzerland: Diego Benaglio, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Johan Djourou, Steve von Bergen, Ricardo Rodriguez, Gokhan Inler, Valon Behrami, Xherdan Shaqiri (David Degen, 79), Granit Xhaka (Gelson Fernandes, 85), Admir Mehmedi, Eren Derdiyok (Innocent Emeghara, 69).

Montenegro: Mladen Bozovic, Drasko Bozovic, Luka Pejovic (Vladimir Bozovic, 46), Stefan Savic, Radoslav Batak, Fatos Beqiraj, Elsad Zverotic, Nikola Drincic (Petar Grbic, 72), Marko Cetkovic, Dejan Damjanovic, Radomir Djalovic (Andrija Delibasic, 66).