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After cheering from the beginning, FCB made it unnecessarily exciting. Image: keystone
Basel shakes in playoffs – St. Gallen fails AEK Athens
Basel – Anorthosis Famagusta 3: 2
FC Basel qualified for the Europa League playoffs with more effort than necessary. Ciriaco Sforza’s side beat Cypriot Anorthosis Famagusta after a 3-0 lead at 3-2 and now play CSKA Sofia for a place in the group stage.
After a quarter-match in the nearly empty St. Jakob-Park, FC Basel’s victory seemed like a mere formality. Silvan Widmer made it 1-0 in just over three minutes with a shot from the turn into the penalty area. And before the first quarter of an hour was over, Samuele Campo, who had been at the origin of the first goal with his free kick, increased it to 2-0 with a nice long shot. The Cypriots capped their completely unsuccessful start in the 21st minute with an own goal following a goalkeeper error.
Basel didn’t have to do much for the clear 3-0 intermediate result. A focused and efficient presentation was enough. Concentration and confidence were lost before the break. Without playing prominently, the guests shortened Branko Vrgoc seconds before the break and Giorgi Kvilitaia, who took advantage of a penalty provoked by Andrea Padula in the 66th minute. In the 50th minute, he pressed Anorthosis in vain for the third goal. Basel also finished the game with one less player. The young man, after an hour as a substitute, Julian von Moos saw the yellow-red card in the 88th minute.
FC Basel will have to take the last step towards the group stage of the Europa League next Thursday. Again, the decision will be made in a single match and Basler’s team will be able to play at home again. The opponent should be a bit stronger than Anorthosis Famagusta. Bulgaria’s record champion CSKA Sofia finished third in their national championship last season. In the third qualifying round, the Bulgarians beat Torshavn of the Faroe Islands 3-1.
SR Petrescu (ROU). – Tore: 4. Widmer 1-0. 12. Field 2-0. 21. Hambardzumjan (own goal) 3-0. 45. Vrgoc 3: 1. 67. Kwilitaia (foul penalty) 3: 2.
Basel: Nikolic; Widmer, Cömert, Alderete, Padula; Stocker (76º Oberlin), Frei, Campo (85º van der Werff), Pululu (60º von Moos); van Wolfswinkel, Cabral.
Famagusta Anorthosis: Loria; Hambardzumjan, Schildenfeld, Vrgoc, Selin (78. Galitsios); Artymatas, Margaça (61. Micha), Dauschwili; Okriaschwili, Kwilitaia, Anderson Correia (46. Christofi).
Observations: Basel without Xhaka, Petretta, Zuffi and Marchand (all injured). The game unfolded without spectators. 50th yellow-red card against Okriaschwili (swallow). 88. Yellow and red card against von Moos (foul). Warnings: 18. Widmer (missing). 27. Alderete (unsportsmanlike conduct). 33. Okriashvili (foul). 61st von Moos (missing). 66 Padula (foul). 67 Hambardzumjan (foul). 84. Kwilitaia (unsportsmanlike conduct). 86. Nikolic (unsportsmanlike conduct).
St. Gallen – AEK Athens 0: 1
FC St.Gallen can no longer wait for their second Europa League group stage appearance. In the third qualifying round, eastern Switzerland failed, despite a good performance, 0: 1 against AEK Athens.
Lawrence Ati-Zigi and the FCSG developed an ambivalent relationship with penalties last season. Half a year ago, in the main match against future champions YB, a subsequent and controversial penalty decision took three points away from St. Gallen. Another chapter was added in the qualifying match for the Europa League against AEK Athens, the best Greek club. Once again, a controversial penalty decision deprived eastern Switzerland of a possible happy ending.
In the 71st minute, Spanish referee Alejandro Hernández decided a penalty for the guests after a regular duel in the St. Gallen penalty area. Nelson Oliveira, who had previously fallen in the penalty area, took advantage of the offer on the second attempt to make the decisive 1-0: after Zigi was able to stop the penalty, the Portuguese attacker pushed the margin towards the goal. As a result, the clever Greeks and the dwindling strength of the home team prevented an exciting final phase.
The decision: Oliveira defeated Zigi after receiving a penalty. Image: keystone
St. Gallen also did it against AEK Athens from the start, as he was used to at the East Swiss club last season. Coach Peter Zeidler’s young team ignored the favorite question, was aggressive, offensive and cheeky. After 74 seconds, winger Alessandro Kräuchi surprised the Greeks with a courageous first advance, in minute 4 AEK goalkeeper Panagiotis Tsintotas avoided the goal of St. Gallen in extremis with a strong reflex. A Basil Stillhart cross was deflected into his own goal by Emanuel Insua and Tsintotas directed the ball over the goal.
One of the most pressing questions about this St. Gallen team at the start of the season is the loss of substance. Kwadwo Duah gave a first indication of this about ten minutes before the break. Wil’s replacement for offensive leaders Ermedin Demirovic and Cedric Itten who had emigrated overseas snuck into St. Gallen’s best shot of the game with cheek and a horrible start. But in addition to the 23-year-old attacker anticipating the imprecise return of the head by the Greeks, he missed the cold-bloodedness of his two predecessors when he finished off alone against Tsintotas.
SR Hernandez (ESP). – Hill: 71. Oliveira (penalty margin) 0: 1.
St. Gallen: Zigi; Kräuchi, Stergiou, Fazliji, Muheim; Limerick; Görtler, Stillhart (74. Youan), Ruiz (74. Ribeiro); Duah (62. Kamberi), Guillemenot.
AEK Athens: Tsintotas; Vasilantonopoulos, Tschygrynsky, Svarnas, Insua; Simoes, Mantalos, Krsticic; Ansarifard (68. García), Oliveira, Livaja (90. Schachow).
Observations: San Galo without González and Lüchinger (both injured) and Babic (convalescent). Athens without heroes (suspended). Warnings: 31. Muheim, 35. Liaja, 45. Mantalos, 50. Krsticic, 51. Fazliji (all fouls). Game without spectators. Red card against Görtler after the match. (ram / sda)
