The 30th day of the Hoval Promotion League championship hands Lugano U21 a point to add to its carnet following a 1-1 draw at home with the "cousins" of Paradiso.
FOUR CHANGES IN THE STARTING ELEVEN
Compared to the winning away match seven days earlier in suburban Basel, coach Andrea Vitali makes a poker of changes in the starting line-up. Fotios Pseftis resumes his place between the posts, Arbnor Gecaj and Luca Molino flank Dion Dermaku in the backline, while Gianluca Pizzagalli returns to joust on the right side of the median. The other seven players, however, are confirmed.
TEAMS INTENT ON NOT UNCOVERING THEMSELVES
The first fraction of the game inside the green rectangle of the Maglio does not offer great opportunities from the net on both sides. The two contenders keep their defensive attention high, and the attacks remain "empty-mouthed." And this despite the fact that the young HCL players try to disturb Yannis Pala on two occasions with Yassin Sbai. On both occasions, the offensive outfielder fails to get past the opponent's goalkeeper (the first being a right-footed shot to the side after a minute, the second a diagonal shot rejected in a corner kick with his fists on the ninth lap of the lancet). Pseftis runs no danger either, as header attempts by Samuel Delli Carri and Merlin Hadzi are central and easy to read.
"BANG FOR THE BUCK" IN ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SECONDS
The main emotions of an always heartfelt city duel are experienced in the short span of three minutes, between the 58th and 61st. First, it was the hosts' turn to try to channel the challenge on their own tracks. David Piffero stubbornly conquers the ball on the flank, serves the incoming Yannis Ryter, who for his part suavely leans for Romeo Morandi, who opens the scoring with a right-footed penalty kick on the move. The green-and-white retort is immediate and, after a block by Dermaku on Arthur Bandeira, Evan Rossier takes advantage of the tip of his foot to decisively deflect Oan Djorkaeff's cross from the vertex.
NO MORE CHANCES AND ONE POINT EACH
Almost as if not wanting to "hurt each other," the twenty-two players on the field simply controlled themselves in the remaining half-hour. A Djorkaeff free kick deflected over the crossbar by Pseftis and a Pizzagalli left-footer "spied" unintentionally by Niccolò Spinelli and simply parried by Pala are noted in the notebook. The triple whistle of match director Maurizio Londino came after five minutes of recovery and gave the large crowd present neither winners nor losers.
HOW THE RANKING CHANGES
Following the mail division recorded in Canobbio, Lugano U21's standings situation does not change much. Although they moved up to 30 points, the HCLers remain in 18th and last place, however, hooking up with Zurich U21 (committed tomorrow afternoon in Heerenschürli against Lucerne U21). The distance to Baden remains two points after the Aargavians' draw at home to Basel U21, while the distance to Bavois rises to three (the Vaudois won 2-1 away over Breitenrain). The same gap there is with Delémont, beaten 3-1 in Bern by Young Boys U21.
ANOTHER DIRECT CONFRONTATION ON THE HORIZON
The 2024-2025 season will continue for Lugano U21 with the tricky outdoor duel at the Stade de la Blancherie in Delémont. The kickoff in Canton Jura will be given at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
COACH VITALI'S END-OF-GAME ANALYSIS: 'PROUD OF THE BOYS'
"I want to congratulate the boys. I saw a situation-conscious spirit from the very beginning. There was the right approach to the game, and that makes me proud of them. I hope we can maintain that for the next matches ahead of us. It is clear that when you go ahead it is never nice to concede a goal almost immediately. However, it must be said that in other situations they could have scored on us. So the result is to be considered fair and there is no regret that we only got one point. We knew we had five important challenges left. One has passed and now we are thinking about the one in Delémont.".
FC LUGANO U21-FC PARADISE 1-1 (0-0)
Al Maglio Sports Center, 350 spectators.
Networks: 58′ Morandi 1-0, 61′ Rossier 1-1.
Admonished: 31′ Centinaro, 68′ Maslarov.
FC Lugano U21: Pseftis; Dermaku, Gecaj, Molino (62′ Plisko); Pizzagalli, Morandi, Maccoppi, Maslarov, Sbai; Ryter (74′ Spinelli); Piffero (74′ Zurmühle). Coach: Vitali.
FC ParadisePala; De Queiroz, Delli Carri (78′ Sylaj), Miranda (84′ Cinquini); Bollati, Guidotti (90′ Simo), Centinaro, Bandeira; Rossier (90′ Islamaj), Djorkaeff, Hadzi (78′ Figueiredo). Coach: Raineri.
Referee: Londino. Assistants: Keles and Argese.
