The Tricolors dominated the game from start to finish, but could not break the resolute defense of the surprisingly toothless Switzerland tonight.
The Lions took the game by storm and nearly opened the scoring as early as the second minute when Ivelin Popov blasted his finish wide of the right post, following a fast break. Bulgaria continued to press and had a chance to take the lead minutes later when Dimitar Makriev headed over from just outside the six-yard box.
Switzerland received some disturbing news in the 15th minute when Valon Behrami injured himself as he was trying to win the ball with a vicious tackle. He was yellow carded and substituted by Gelson Fernandes.
Bulgaria were on the front foot in the first half an hour and went close through a free-kick Blagoy Georgiev in the 21st minute. Stilyan Petrov nearly crowned his 100th appears for the Tricolors when he found himself on the end of an excellent cross from the right, but could only flick the ball over the bar from just outside the six-yard box.
Alexander Frei wasted Switzerland’s best chance of the game in the first half second later when he headed straight at Nikolay Mihaylov after being picked out by Marco Streller. Near the forty-minute mark the ex-Borussia Dortmund striker blasted a free-kick from the left straight at Mihaylov.
Georgiev tried his luck from a free-kick once again the 40th minute, but Marco Woelfli pulled off a decent save.
Bulgaria continued to press after the break and Stanislav Manolev nearly gave the Tricolors the lead with a header from a difficult angle from inside the box in the 53rd minute. Just past the hour mark Frei got another chance to put the visitors in the lead, but blasted his header over the bar after a great cross by Stephan Lichtsteiner.
Substitute Tsvetan Genkov had a great opportunity two minutes later when he failed to connect with head in the box after a wonderful cross by Petar Zanev. Spas Delev failed to put the finishing touch on a fine run shortly after as Bulgaria were tightening the grip.
Georgiev went close with a bouncing finish from outside the box in the 78th minute with Woelfli beaten, but his shot went wide of the left post. Two minutes later Blerim Dzemaili headed over the bar, following a corner on the right.
Both Bulgaria and Switzerland had their chances in the remaining minutes of the game, but failed to make them count as the game ended in a stalemate, which only benefits group rivals Montenegro.
Switzerland’s next game in the qualifiers is a visit to England at Wembley on the 6th of April, while Bulgaria visit Montenegro on the same night.
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Bulgaria 0-0 Switzerland: Schweizer Nati Escape Vasil Levski With A Point