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Tor-Gate in Kybunpark
Much done right: the St. Gallen team received praise from UEFA after the goal break +++ It remains to be seen how the mishap happened +++ The national team and FC St. Gallen can avoid a bus
Before the game against Lithuania could start on Sunday, a goal had to be substituted at Kybunpark because it was a few inches too high. It is not yet clear how this came to be. In any case, the people of St. Gallen don’t just have to listen to the ridiculous. There are also pats on the back. And there will be no fine from FIFA.
The door had to be replaced.
(chs / rst) You already know the problem: the sunshade tilts over and over again when you want to attach it to the tube provided for it. The court administrators at the Kybunpark had to deal with a similar challenge on Sunday night, with many more spectators.
Shortly before the World Cup qualifying match between Switzerland and Lithuania began, it was noticed that a goal is crooked, about four inches taller on one side. Attempts to get the goal back correctly failed. A new door had to be found quickly. The game finally started 18 minutes late.
Silvan Widmer: “I’ve never seen anything like this”
The day after the game, the mysterious story of the goal is also the subject, with a good dose of humor in the media, but also at the press conference of the Swiss national team.
Silvan Widmer in the 1-0 win over Lithuania at Kybunpark.
Defender Silvan Widmer said: “After the game, we joked a bit about it. Right before the game, of course, it wasn’t fun. I’ve never seen anything like this in my career. When it starts, the point is that the tension is still high. ”
Errors recognized and responded quickly
Even now that the ridicule on social media and the press is slowly fading, those responsible in St. Gallen cannot say with certainty where exactly the problem lay. “We can’t explain everything,” says David Gadze, FC St. Gallen media spokesman. Rebuild the process before Sunday’s game: at 10 am, the Uefa commissioner accepted the spot. Nothing was objected. Even during the warm-up of the teams, about an hour before the start of the match, neither the referees nor the fourth official found any deficiencies. It was only shortly before the end of the warm-up that the Swiss national goalkeeping coach noticed that a goal was about two inches high. Even those responsible for FC St. Gallen did not notice any flaws before the pitch was cleared for warm-up.
David Gadze, Director of Media and Communication of the FCSG
In the Kybunpark there are four plug-in doors that are used: two with green and white nets for championship games and two with white ones. All the goals have been played for years, Gadze said. White goals are used in international matches, and were also used when FC Lugano played the Europa League group stage matches at Kybunpark in autumn 2019. Hawk-Eye technology was used there for the goal line; nothing was ever objected.
Just before the end of the warm-up
One guess remains: shots on the edge of the goal during warm-up, or a scoring action, for example a hit on the crossbar, must have moved the goal. A scenario that the leaders of UEFA and FIFA have given SFV as a possible explanation. “According to subsequent reports from FIFA, it is the most plausible explanation,” says Adrian Arnold, head of communications for the Swiss Football Association (SFV).
The height of the green and white door is checked.
“The matter will become a curiosity in the history of the national team,” says Arnold, who also takes the matter with a good dose of humor. The SFV is far from blaming those responsible in St. Gallen. And UEFA has received praise for acknowledging the mistake in St. Gallen and responding quickly. The residents of St. Gallen also immediately apologized to everyone involved for the circumstances that had arisen.
Regret must be avoided
However, it was initially unclear whether the SFV or the St. Gallen stadium operators would still have to wait for a fine due to the late start. Arnold emphasizes that there were no protests, not even from the Lithuanian side. Finally, on Monday night, the go-ahead was given. According to constant media reports, FIFA waived the sanctions.
The incident certainly will not affect the good cooperation with the residents of St. Gallen, says Arnold. As the venue for the national games, the Kybunpark should maintain its good reputation.
The incident certainly will not affect the good cooperation with the residents of St. Gallen, says Arnold. As the venue for the national games, the Kybunpark should maintain its good reputation. Finland will visit the Kybunpark in a friendly on Wednesday. Until then, the faulty door should be plugged in again, checked, and used again if necessary, Gadze says. After all: the stubborn target would be practically rehabilitated.
