YB prevails in the chasing duel against FC Basel in a sold-out Wankdorf 3:1. Because FC Zurich won 3-0 against Lugano for the ninth time in a row, the champions are still ten points behind the leaders.
Bernese rejoicing over the win against their direct competitor from Basel.
Perhaps during the pandemic you’ve lost what it’s like to be at a sold-out Super League game. 31,120 spectators were in the Wankdorf stadium in Bern on Sunday afternoon: Cup final ambience (with a mask requirement), YB versus Basel, the summit meeting as a duel of pursuers.
And yet the atmosphere was somehow strange. Despite emotions, thrilling duels, two dismissals, four goals, a 3-1 home win for the Young Boys. Maybe it was related to the playfully poor level over long stretches, with a lack of stability, with two teams in the finding phase. Especially before the break, the game culture was very manageable, the goal scorers Michael Lang to 0: 1 and Vincent Sierro to 1: 1 benefited from hesitant goalies.
Press conference after YB – Basel (3:1) ?? https://t.co/2AeU4NWkku#BSCYB #YBFCB
— BSC YOUNG BOYS (@BSC_YB) February 13, 2022
YB is in a complicated situation, partly through no fault of his own. On the one hand, top performers Silvan Hefti, Michel Aebischer, Christopher Martins and Jean-Pierre Nsame left abroad during the winter break, on the other hand, the champions are again affected by an unusual series of injuries.
For example in defence: On Saturday Mohamed Camara broke his left forearm in training, he will be out for around six weeks. For example in attack: Meschack Elia, Christian Fassnacht, Felix Mambimbi and Joël Monteiro were missing against Basel, the only alternative for the offensive was Kevin Varga on the bench. The Hungarian national player was taken on on loan by the Turkish club Kasimpasa Istanbul in the middle of the week until the end of the season.
After all, the regular goalie David von Ballmoos could be available again sooner than expected after another shoulder operation in October, he completed one half in the test match of the second YB team on Saturday. Because captain Fabian Lustenberger had to be substituted before half-time against Basel and another central defender, Cédric Zesiger, was suspended, coach David Wagner praised the mentality of his players to deal with all these setbacks again and again.
Sending off as a key scene
The FCB hardly shows what he actually wants to find in his lively discovery phase. There are a lot of interesting young footballers from all different nations in the squad. This talent show may be promising in a simulation, but in real life the Basel project is exciting at best, but certainly somewhat risky.
There was a lack of routine, compactness and stylistic confidence in the FCB appearance against YB. The Dutch U-21 international Wouter Burger, actually trained for central midfield, was used in central defense for the third time since the winter break – and sent off in the 60th minute after another clumsy intervention with yellow-red.
It was the key scene. Although the Young Boys lack the irresistibility of the master years, they do not lack individual class. In the central structure, 19-year-old Fabian Rieder again underlined why he is associated with important clubs. Cameroon’s Nicolas Ngamaleu made it 2-1 after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in the 69th minute, shortly afterwards Jordan Siebatcheu made it 3-1.
FC Zurich with club record
Substitute YB defender Ulisses Garcia also saw a second yellow card, but Basel were no longer able to react. They again conceded three goals, won only twice in the last ten matches and collected few arguments as to why the cooperation with coach Patrick Frame, which was viewed critically by those responsible anyway, could be crowned with success.
There are also some things that are fragile with the Young Boys. But they seem more united than FCB, in the club and on the pitch, and they haven’t given up the fight for the title yet. Although the coach David Wagner reacted annoyed again on Sunday when it came to the gap to FC Zurich – and said he didn’t care if it was three, seven or ten points. “We have a job to do and we have to win games.”
Because FC Zurich is doing its job very well, has set a club record with nine Super League wins in a row and the ball rolled for him again on Sunday evening in the 3-0 win against Lugano, YB is still ten points behind. Incidentally, last season the Young Boys had 31 points more than second-placed Basel – and 41 more than eighth-placed Zurich.
Ranking: 1. Zurich 21/49 (50:27). 2. Young Boys 21/39 (50:26). 3. Basel 21/37 (45:25). 4. Lugano 21/33 (27:29). 5. Servette 21/28 (34:39). 6. Grasshoppers 21/26 (35:31). 7. Ses. 21/25 (29:39). 8. St Gallen 21/23 (35:44). 9. Lucerne 21/14 (22:41). 10. Lausanne-Sport 21/12 (19:45).