GC beats St. Gallen 3:2

In a game that was wild at times, Zurich equalized the early 0:2 deficit before half-time. After the change of sides, double goalscorer Tsy Ndenge secured victory for Grasshoppers.

The GC players celebrate after Tsy Ndenge (left) scored the decisive goal to make it 3-2.

Alexandra Wey / Keystone

The Grasshoppers have refined their surprisingly successful start to the season. In a very entertaining, sometimes wild encounter, they defeated FC St. Gallen 3:2. And a footballer who hasn’t been noticed as a goal-getter in his career became the match winner. Tsiy Ndenge, a German-Cameroonian who has been unlucky enough to be injured in recent years, scored the winning goal from a corner kick in the second half after making it 2-2 just before half-time.

Ndenge joined GC from FC Luzern before this season. And the resilient midfielder has proved a reinforcement so far. Not only because of his first goals in the Super League against FC St. Gallen in his 42nd appearance, but also because of his strong tackle skills and dynamism. Thanks in part to Ndenge, Grasshopper-Club got off to a good start in the season with seven points from three games.

The Grasshoppers and St. Gallen hardly allowed themselves a break. A rapid encounter developed with FC St. Gallen, who, as usual, did not think much of waiting for the moment. After five minutes, the attacker with the wonderful name Emmanuel Delan Junior Latte Lath duped the weak GC defense and scored for an early lead. The Grasshoppers remained sleepy and could have been three or more goals behind after fifteen minutes. However, only Fabian Schubert took advantage of a failure by Zurich defense chief Georg Margreitter in the 12th minute and scored the 2-0 for the eastern Swiss.

Why FC St. Gallen guarantees a spectacle, but is probably not a top team this season, was soon apparent in the Letzigrund. He was also not very stable defensively, there was a lack of balance, which gave GC the opportunity in the 20th minute to launch a fine combination via Hayao Kawabe, which Francis Momoh completed.

It continued in the same attractive style, it was a hair-pulling game for coaches. St. Gallen had the better chances, but it was Ndenge who applied for the “Goal of the Year” with the last action in the first half in added time. The 25-year-old made it 2-2 with a fantastic long-range shot. Ndenge punished the inefficient visitors, who saw goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi sent off in the final stages for a kick against Petar Pusic. It was the third dismissal against a St. Gallen player this season.

Grasshoppers – St Gallen 3: 2 (2: 2). 6678 spectators. – Referee: piccolo. – Gates: 5. Latte Lath 0:1. 12. Schubert 0-2. 20. Momoh 1:2. 45. Ndenge 2:2. 69. Ndenge 3:2. – Grasshoppers: Moreira; Loosli, Margreitter (90th Ribeiro), Seko; Ndenge; Bolla, Abrashi (63rd Herc), Kawabe, Schmid; Momoh (76th Pusic), Dadashov (90th Shabani). – St. Gallen: Ati Zigi; Sutter, Stillhart (84.Stergiou), Maglica, Guindo; quintilla; Görtler (73 Schneider), Witzig (73 Guillemenot); Schubert (84 Karlen); Von Moss, Latte Lath (76. Besio). – Remarks: Grasshoppers without Morandi, Hoxha and Jeong (all injured). St Gallen without Akolo and Kempter (both injured). 96. Red card against Ati-Zigi (violence). Warnings: 15 Bolla (foul), 17 Maglica (foul), 34 Witzig (foul), 86 Margreitter (foul), 96 Pusic (hitting the ball away).

great league. 4th round. Saturday: Servette – Winterthur 1-0 (0-0). Grasshoppers – St Gallen 3: 2 (2: 2). – Sunday: Zurich – Sion (2:15 p.m.). Basel-Young Boys. Lugano – Lucerne (both 4.30 p.m.). – Ranking: 1. Servette 4/8. 2.Young Boys 3/7. 3. Grasshoppers 3/7. 4. St Gallen 4/6. 5. Manners 3/4. 6. Lugano 3/3. 7. Basel 2/2. 8. Lucerne 1/1. 9. Zurich 3/1. 10.Winterthur 4/1.

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