Basel win seventh successive Swiss title

BERNE (Reuters) - FC Basel predictably clinched their seventh successive Swiss title on Saturday with five games to spare by beating FC Sion 2-1.

Matias Delgado, with a penalty, and Birkir Bjarnason scored in each half for Basel, who have led the table since the second day of the season and never looked in danger after winning their first eight games.

Unbeaten in the league since November, Basel took an unassailable 16-point lead over Young Boys whose 2-1 at Grasshoppers was in vain.

Basel have had five different coaches since their seven-title run began and the title was the first for Urs Fischer, who replaced Paulo Sousa at the end of last season.

Grasshoppers remain Switzerland's most successful club domestically with 27 league titles, followed by Basel on 19.

(Writing by Brian Homewood, editing by Ian Chadband)