Young Boys win 2:1 in Basel and once again return to the battle for the championship title. Christian Fassnacht scores twice.
16.03.2025, 18:42
16.03.2025, 19:14
SDA
The duel between Basel and YB did not take long to get going. Not even a minute had been played when Christian Fassnacht struck the first shot in Marwin Hitz's goal in Basel. And the Zurich native, who returned to the Bernese side as a great source of hope, had a second strike ready that afternoon. In the 78th minute, the 31-year-old scored with a rebound to give Young Boys their first win in Basel in the championship for four and a half years.
It was an animated Swiss classic that took place at Basel's St. Jakobpark. One in which both teams were not afraid to go on the offensive in the pouring rain. However, the sodden pitch repeatedly posed challenges for the players of both teams.
Finn van Breemen in particular struggled to open up the game and offered the Bernese team several good counter-attacking opportunities. However, the Dutch central defender's uncertainties went unpunished. The Young Boys, who were much more committed than in previous away games this season, missed several excellent chances.
Basel narrowly escaped going 2-0 down after just 13 minutes when a deflected shot from Rayan Raveloson hit the crossbar. However, Fabio Celestini's team were just as committed as their rivals from the capital, and with Xherdan Shaqiri back in the playmaker's position, FCB's play regained the structure it had lost after the attacking player's substitution in the recent 1-1 draw in Lucerne.
The 33-year-old was involved in many of Basel's dangerous actions, and after 67 minutes he seemed to delight the majority of the 28570 spectators for the first time on the way to the hoped-for victory. After a one-two with Shaqiri, Philip Otele, who had just come on as a substitute, beat Marwin Keller, who had made several strong saves for the Bernese side, but after Fassnacht's second strike, YB, who are now three points behind Basel and five behind leaders Servette, no longer had to tremble.
Telegram:
Basel - Young Boys 1:2 (0:1)
28'570 spectators. - SR Schnyder. - Goals: 1. Fassnacht 0:1. 67. Otele (Shaqiri) 1:1. 78. Fassnacht 1:2.
Basel: Hitz; Rüegg (64. Mendes), Barisic, van Breemen (90. Fink), Schmid; Leroy (83. Ajeti), Avdullahu; Kade (64. Otele), Shaqiri, Traoré (83. Soticek); Kevin Carlos.
Young Boys: Keller; Blum (71. Athekame), Lauper, Benito, Hadjam; Raveloson, Ugrinic (85. Lakomy); Colley (19. Virginius; 86. Camara), Fassnacht, Monteiro; Bedia (71. Itten).
Remarks: Cautions: 23rd Blum, 38th Keller, 45th Fassnacht.
