Yapi scores from halfway line as Hyypia enjoys first Zurich win

BERNE (Reuters) - Gilles Yapi scored from near the halfway line to set FC Zurich on their way to a 5-3 win over Lugano and give Sami Hyypia his first win as their coach on Sunday.

Lugano goalkeeper Alex Valentini rushed out of his area to make a clearance but sent the ball to Yapi in the middle of the field.

The Ivorian sent a pinpoint shot straight into the net from just inside the Lugano half with the goalkeeper caught out of his ground.

Former Liverpool and Finland defender Hyypia, who has previously coached Bayer Leverkusen and Brighton, took over at Zurich in September and saw his team draw six and lose two of his first eight games in charge.

Sunday's win took his side off the bottom of the 10-team Swiss Super League table where they were replaced by FC Vaduz.

FC Basel stayed top, seven points clear of Grasshoppers, and on course for a seventh successive title despite losing 2-1 at St Gallen.

(Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; editing by Justin Palmer)