Defending champions Basel took a significant step towards retaining their Swiss Super League crown today after beating FC Thun while closest challengers FC Zurich lost to city rivals Grasshoppers. The results mean Basel are three points clear with two games to go.

Thorsten Fink's side went ahead against Thun thanks to a 34th-minute Benjamin Huggel goal only for the visitors to level four minutes later through Stephan Andrist.

An Alexandre Frei penalty restored Basel's lead two minutes before half-time and second period strikes from Granit Xhaka, Frei and Xherdan Shaqiri completed a convincing win.

By contrast, Zurich suffered a dismal afternoon. They trailed 2-0 at half-time after Vincenzo Rennella had opened the scoring before a Izet Hajrovic penalty doubled the hosts' advantage.

Rennella then made it 3-0 before Alexandre Alphonse pulled one back, shortly after the visitors had been reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Jorge Teixeira.

Young Boys and FC Sion drew 1-1 in today's other game. Marco Schneuwly put Young Boys ahead, but Giovanni Sio equalised with 16 minutes to go.