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FC Basel did not survive the Europa League third qualifying round without difficulties. Ciriaco Sforza’s team beat Anorthosis Famagusta after leading 3-0 with 3-2. St. Gallen is very unlucky against Athens.
FC St. Gallen can no longer wait for their second Europa League group stage appearance. In the third qualifying round, the eastern Swiss fail despite a good performance with 0: 1 against AEK Athens.
Lawrence Ati-Zigi and FC St. Gallen built an ambivalent relationship with penalties last season. Half a year ago, in the main game against eventual champion YB, a late and controversial penalty decision snatched three points 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.
A regular duel
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.
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 brave first advance, in minute 4 AEK goalkeeper Panagiotis Tsintotas prevented the goal in extremis to St. Gallen 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.
Will Duah be able to follow in the footsteps of Demirovic and Itten?
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 immigrated overseas, stole St. Gallen’s best chance of the game through 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.
FC Basel qualified for the Europa League playoffs with more effort than necessary. Ciriaco Sforza’s team beat the Cypriots of Anorthosis Famagusta after leading 3-0 with 3-2 and they are already playing against 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.
Thursday against CSKA Sofia
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.
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