Perhaps the most important point of the season the one Lugano won Sunday afternoon in Lausanne, in the second away game in three days in the land of Romandy. After recovering the Vaudois' early lead, Croci-Torti's boys calmly controlled and brought home the draw. In the standings, with one day to go, the bianconeri have hoisted themselves to fourth place and have a real chance to joust in Europe again next year.
VAUD ADVANTAGE
The game started out balanced with much play in the middle of the field and few offensive spurts. The first shot was by Dos Santos, deflected into a corner by Letica. Then there were two suspicious episodes: a contact between El Wafi and Sene in the HCL area and a push by Giger on Mahou in the hosts' area. No referee or VAR intervention in the two cases. At the half-hour mark Lausanne took the lead after a mistake by Macek in midfield the ball reached Diabatè who beat Osigwe from the limit.
FINAL HCL TIME
The goal, on the first shot on goal, did not demoralize the Lugano team, which tightened its ranks and immediately sought an equalizer. That came on a penalty kick awarded for a clear hand foul by Poaty on Macek's header after a corner. Specialist Grgic scored. In the final three minutes, the bianconeri would have deserved the advantage: first with a nice diagonal shot by Mahou deflected by the Vaud goalkeeper and then with a shot by Dos Santos that grazed the crossbar.
UNDER CONTROL
Recent experiences (see the second half with Basel) must have induced Croci-Torti to use the card of caution and not that of chance. At the Stade de la Tuilière, Lugano returned to the field after the break with a clear goal in mind: to control the situation and preserve a very valuable point. What was done. Lausanne had one chance in the opening period with Sene but Osigwe was very good in his response. Shortly afterwards it was Macek's turn, on the other front, to kick well from the edge but the ball was just grazing the post to the goalkeeper's left. For the rest great fight on every ball, logical Vaud supremacy but little danger posed by the guests. There were several crosses and corner kicks but all controlled by Papadopulos and teammates.
SATURDAY LUGANO-YB
The results of the penultimate round of the season have yet to provide clarity. Next Saturday, with all matches scheduled at 6 p.m., the positions from second to sixth will be decided. As a reminder, the top four will go to Europe by right, while the fifth will have to wait until June 1 for Basel's eventual victory in the Swiss Cup. The matches scheduled on the last day are: Lugano-YB, Basel-Lucerne and Servette-Lausanne.
TABLE: Lausanne-Lugano 1-1 (1-1)
NETS: 27′ Diabaté, 43′ Grgic (penalty)
SPECTATORS: 6’617
AMMONITES: Marques, Doumbia, Bottani
LUGANO: Osigwe, Brault-Guillard, Papadopulos, El Wafi, Marques (58′ Valenzuela), Grgic, Macek, Mahou (80′ Hajdari), Dos Santos (58′ Doumbia), Aliseda (71′ Cimignani), Koutsias (71′ Vladi). Unavailable: Bislimi and Zanotti (disqualified), Belhadj, Mai and Steffen (injured).
REFEREE: Johannes von Mandach
