Legend:
Intrepid appearance
Lausanne’s Raoul Giger keeps the Young Boys on their toes.
Keystone/Peter Klaunzer
- Double winner YB trembles in the 1st round of the Super League against Lausanne in Wankdorf to an ultra-late 2-1.
- In the 97th (!) minute, Cedric Itten used a hand penalty to win the opening game.
- A point win for the bravely fighting climber would not have been undeserved, so he immediately corrected a deficit.
- In Sunday’s second game, FC Zurich beat another promoted team and beat Yverdon 2-0 at home.
When everyone in the capital had already settled for a draw, the game took an unexpected turn. New signing Silvère Ganvoula’s last desperate attack from the Young Boys caught the cross ball in the arm of Lausanne defender Archie Brown.
The rule states that there is a penalty kick in such a situation. After consultation with the VAR, referee Luca Piccolo was supported in his decision. Substitute Cedric Itten ran to the penalty and converted to 2:1. Thunderous applause erupted from the majority of the 27,100 fans. Captain Fabian Lustenberger described the happy coincidence afterwards as “deserved reward for never giving up”.
The reminder is still missing
For the people of Vaud, on the other hand, it was an end that was as abrupt as it was bitter. After a year’s absence, they put in an appealing performance on their return to the Super League but are now empty-handed.
For a long time it had looked as if coach Raphael Wicky’s top-class team would have to deal with a first shot across the bow at the beginning of a new mission. In the 2019/20 season, the capitals last got out of the starting blocks without a “three” (in a 1-1 draw at home against Servette). It shouldn’t come to that this time.
Led and ran into the hammer in return
Surprising Joël Monteiro, who had registered just one league goal in 2022/23, distinguished himself as the first YB goalscorer of the new season. His flick in the lower right corner in the 51st minute did not mark the initial spark for “yellow-black” in the duel with the promoted team after a modest, probing first half.
Rather, the Bernese jubilation was nipped in the bud, and the Vaudois team immediately threw a punch in the neck. Just 2 minutes later, Aliou Baldé was sent down on the left wing. The Senegalese danced skillfully out of Loris Benito and scored the 1-1 equaliser.
The master increased the cadence noticeably again and also brought fresh strength from the prominent bench. But overall, the hosts in the Lausanne penalty area acted too little dangerously and not precisely enough. Up to the point when the ball still floundered in the net after Itten’s penalty…
This is how it goes
Ludovic Magnin’s side will make their home debut against Grasshoppers next Saturday. Double winner YB takes another measure of a climber the next day. It remains to be seen whether he will have better experiences away from Yverdon.