FC Zurich deservedly wins its home match against FC Lucerne 3:2 and returns to the battle for the top places. The Central Swiss team missed a great opportunity.
Samuel Ballet made the difference a quarter of an hour before the end with the best move of the evening. The 24-year-old winger made Andrejs Ciganiks look old-fashioned with a leg kick and gave Lucerne goalkeeper Pascal Loretz no chance of defending with a powerful finish. The visitors, who had proved their comeback qualities so often this season, were unable to recover from 3:1. Donat Rrudhani's penalty goal deep into stoppage time came too late.
Rrudhani not only provided the final goal in an entertaining match. He was also responsible for the first goal after just five minutes, courtesy of a passing error by Jean-Philipp Gbamin. However, as Mario Frick's team subsequently lost a lot of ground and the home team took control of the game, the result was justifiable.
FCZ turned the game around within two minutes in the first half (32nd/34th). First Mounir Chouiar scored with a flick into the far corner of the goal, then Bledian Krasniqi from a scramble.
While Zurich missed several good chances, Lucerne were rarely dangerous in front of goal. Captain Pius Dorn missed the best opportunity when he failed to beat Yanick Brecher in front of goal after a one-two with Levin Winkler on the hour mark.
Lucerne failed to capitalize on Servette's slip-up and move closer to the leaders. Zurich's victory lifted them up to fifth place, just two points behind the Central Swiss side.
Comments on the game
Man of the Match: Steven Zuber
"He was an absolute role model in terms of commitment and always put his teammates to good use." (blue Sport commentator Dani Wyler)
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Zurich - Lucerne 3:2 (2:1)
13'946 spectators. - SR Wolfensberger. - Goals: 5. Rrudhani (Spadanuda) 0:1. 32. Chouiar (Emmanuel) 1:1. 34. Krasniqi (Markelo) 2:1. 76. Ballet (Krasniqi) 3:1. 96. Rrudhani (penalty) 3:2.
Zurich: Brecher; Kamberi, Gomez, Denoon (46. Ligue), Rodrigo Conceição (46. Reichmuth); Gbamin, Krasniqi (78. Tsawa); Markelo (62. Ballet), Zuber, Emmanuel (78. Reverson); Chouiar.
Luzern: Loretz; Ottiger, Knezevic, Bung M. Freimann (72. Karweina), Ciganiks (82. Fernandes); Owusu (46. Winkler), Stankovic; Dorn, Rrudhani, Spadanuda (72. Grbic); Klidje (62. Villiger).
Remarks: Cautions: 37 Denoon, 82 Ballet, 86 Gomez, 86 Grbic.
The live ticker to watch
FC Zurich
FC Luzern
- Mounir Chouiar - 1:1 (32.)
- Bledian Krasniqi - 2:1 (34.)
- Samuel Ballet - 3:1 (76.)
- (5.) 0:1 - Donat Rrudhani
- (90.+6.) 3:2 - Donat Rrudhani
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Liveticker
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Liveticker closed
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96.
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90.+8.End of 2nd half
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90.+6.Goal for FC Luzern, 3:2 through penalties from Donat Rrudhani
Donat Rrudhani
Midfielder
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86.Yellow card FC Luzern
Adrian Grbic
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86.Yellow card FC Zurich
Mariano Gómez
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82.Yellow card FC Zurich
Samuel Ballet
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76.
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76.Goal for FC Zurich, 3:1 through Samuel Ballet (Bledian Krasniqi)
Samuel Ballet
Midfielder
Assist: Bledian Krasniqi
Midfielder
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58.
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46.Kick-off 2nd half
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45.+3.End of 1st half
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37.Yellow card FC Zurich
Daniel Denoon
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34.
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34.Goal for FC Zurich, 2:1 through Bledian Krasniqi
Bledian Krasniqi
Midfielder
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32.
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32.Goal for FC Zurich, 1:1 through Mounir Chouiar (Umeh Emmanuel)
Mounir Chouiar
Striker
Assist: Umeh Emmanuel
Striker
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5.
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5.Goal for FC Luzern, 0:1 through Donat Rrudhani (Kevin Spadanuda)
Donat Rrudhani
Midfielder
Assist: Kevin Spadanuda
Midfielder
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1.Start of the match
