Out at Anderlecht – Conference League without YB: Berners fail in the penalty shoot-out – Sport

  • YB makes up for the 0:1 in the Conference League playoffs at Anderlecht, but fails on penalties.
  • Donat Rrudhani, Kastriot Imeri and Fabian Lustenberger lost their nerve from the penalty point.
  • This means that Switzerland is only represented with FC Basel in the group stage of the Conference League.
  • But Challenge League Club Vaduz created the big sensation and progressed against Rapid Vienna.

In the end, the penalty shoot-out between RSC Anderlecht and the Young Boys had to decide who made it into the group stage of the Conference League. And then three Bernese lost their nerves. After Fabian Rieder was the first to score, Donat Rrudhani failed at the goalkeeper, Kastriot Imeri nailed the ball to the post and Fabian Lustenberger threw the ball into the Belgian night sky. And so the fact was clear that for the first time since 2016 YB is not in a European Cup group stage.

Elijah does it from an acute angle

The course of the game was right for YB over long distances. Raphael Wicky’s team was able to correct the 0:1 of the first leg against Belgian record champions Anderlecht in the 26th minute. Meschack Elia, who was responsible for the goal in Wankdorf, scored from an acute angle after a nice playthrough.

After Elias’ goal, the Bernese controlled the action for a long time thanks to convincing defensive performances. Central defenders Cédric Zesiger and Mohamed Ali Camara in particular won an hour-long duel after duel. Then Camara had to be substituted at risk of red and the Berners lost a bit of security.

Cedric Itten’s chance to score after a header in the 57th minute was the last for YB for a long time – up to two free kicks in extra time. Anderlecht’s goalie Hendrik Van Crombrugge was only able to fend off Rrudhani’s second in extremis seconds before the penalty shoot-out.

Anderlecht with good chances

But Anderlecht was much closer to a goal from the second half. In the 88th minute, Sebastiano Esposito even scored from a free-standing. But the Italian, who played for FC Basel last season, was just offside. And in extra time, the lively Benito Raman hit the post.

YB fans expelled from Belgium


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Because there were violent clashes between fan groups prior to the game between Anderlecht and the Young Boys, 22 Bernese supporters were immediately expelled from Belgium. As reported by YB, fans who had traveled with them were attacked by hooded people in a Brussels bar on Wednesday evening. The local police took action after the serious clashes that ensued. Authorities did not allow YB fans to gather in Brussels on Thursday.

With the out in the conference league playoffs, the season for YB on the European stage ends unexpectedly early. The Wicky team continues on Sunday afternoon in the Super League when they make a guest appearance at newly promoted Winterthur.

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