Lugano is eliminated from the Conference League in the round of 16 second leg against Celje. In a spectacular game, the Ticino team showed nerves of steel in the penalty shoot-out.
Lugano has proven several times this season that it has the quality to find ways to win late. And in one of the most important games of the season so far, the Bianconeri seemed to find these qualities again. But after the Luganesi had spectacularly saved themselves against Slovenian champions Celje in the penalty shoot-out, three players failed to score from the spot, bringing FCL's campaign in the Conference League to an abrupt end.
The backdrop brings back memories. It is raining in the Thun Arena and a stiff breeze is blowing through the collection of empty, gray plastic seats. This Thursday evening in March could also be one in November. But it's not just the weather that is reminiscent of late fall, but also the action on the pitch.
It looked good for a long time
Lugano, who had recently slipped into a crisis and lost five games in a row in all competitions, suddenly returned to the way they had regularly performed in the league phase of Europe's third-highest club competition in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Conference League: with a lot of pressure, pace - and goals.
Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud, Georgios Koutsias and Daniel Dos Santos, the Thun player from Ticino, fired the Luganesi through to the next round, at least virtually. And when the Greek Koutsias scored his second goal to give Lugano a supposedly decisive 4:2 lead (80') despite having less of the play, it would not take much for the Ticino side's journey through Europe to continue in Athens or Florence.
Bitter penalty in stoppage time
But when the Bianconeri had long since focused on defending, Albian Hajdari's actions in his own penalty area proved to be his undoing. As the 21-year-old tried to clear a ball, he hit Celje's Mario Kvesic. After consulting the video referee, Latvian referee Andris Treimanis awarded a penalty and sent off Hajdari. Armandas Kucys scored against Amir Saipi, making himself the competition's second-highest scorer with his sixth goal and saving the Slovenians in extremis in extra time.
In extra time, Celje's Juanjo Nieto looked set to become the hero of the match with a spectacular volley, but just when few of the 1,853 fans would have bet on the tired-looking Ticino side, substitute Ousmane Doumbia showed that they had mastered the art of long-range goals (118').
However, after the weak nerves in the penalty shoot-out and the misses by Kacper Przybylko, Renato Steffen and Yanis Cimignani, this was probably little consolation.
FC Lugano
NK Celje
- Hadj Mahmoud - 1:0 (21.)
- Georgios Koutsias - 2:1 (42.)
- Daniel Dos Santos - 3:1 (44.)
- Georgios Koutsias - 4:2 (80.)
- Ousmane Doumbia - 5:4 (118.)
- Lars Lukas Mai - 6:6 (3.P.)
- (40.) 1:1 - Svit Seslar
- (68.) 3:2 - Tamar Svetlin
- (90.+5.) 4:3 - Armandas Kucys
- (97.) 4:4 - Juanjo Nieto
- (1.P.) 5:5 - Edmilson Filho
- (2.P.) 5:6 - Svit Seslar
- (3.P.) 6:7 - Žan Karnicnik
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Liveticker
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Liveticker closed
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121.+6.End of match
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121.+FC Lugano misses penalty
Yanis Cimignani
Midfielder
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121.+Goal for NK Celje, 6:7 through penalties from Žan Karnicnik
Žan Karnicnik
Defender
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121.+Goal for FC Lugano, 6:6 through penalties from Lars Lukas Mai
Lars Lukas Mai
Defender
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121.+Goal for NK Celje, 5:6 through penalties from Svit Seslar
Svit Seslar
Striker
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121.+FC Lugano misses penalty
Renato Steffen
Striker
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121.+Goal for NK Celje, 5:5 through penalties from Edmilson Filho
Edmilson Filho
Striker
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121.+FC Lugano misses penalty
Kacper Przybylko
Striker
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121.Penalty kick
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120.
Steffen gets into an argument with a fan after the final whistle
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120.+5.End of 2nd half extra time
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118.
Doumbia scores the 5:4
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118.Goal for FC Lugano, 5:4 through Ousmane Doumbia (Mattia Zanotti)
Ousmane Doumbia
Midfielder
Assist: Mattia Zanotti
Midfielder
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112.Yellow card NK Celje
Ricardo Silva
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112.Yellow card FC Lugano
Renato Steffen
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112.Yellow card FC Lugano
Yanis Cimignani
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106.Kick-off 2nd half extra time
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105.+3.End of 1st half extra time
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105.+3.Yellow card FC Lugano
Sebastian Osigwe
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105.Yellow card NK Celje
Tamar Svetlin
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97.
Celje scores the equalizer
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97.Goal for NK Celje, 4:4 through Juanjo Nieto
Juanjo Nieto
Defender
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91.Kick-off 1st half extra time
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90.
Hajdari sees red, Celje score from the spot
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90.+9.End of 2nd half
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90.+5.Goal for NK Celje, 4:3 through penalties from Armandas Kucys
Armandas Kucys
Striker
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90.+3.Red card FC Lugano (direct)
Albian Hajdari
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80.Goal for FC Lugano, 4:2 through Georgios Koutsias (Renato Steffen)
Georgios Koutsias
Striker
Assist: Renato Steffen
Striker
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79.
Koutsias scores after preparatory work by Steffen
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68.
Celje scores the equalizer
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68.Goal for NK Celje, 3:2 through Tamar Svetlin (Žan Karnicnik)
Tamar Svetlin
Midfielder
Assist: Žan Karnicnik
Defender
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61.Yellow card FC Lugano
Georgios Koutsias
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51.Yellow card FC Lugano
Daniel Dos Santos
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46.Kick-off 2nd half
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45.+4.End of 1st half
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44.
Dos Santos increases
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44.Goal for FC Lugano, 3:1 through Daniel Dos Santos (Uran Bislimi)
Daniel Dos Santos
Midfielder
Assist: Uran Bislimi
Striker
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42.
Koutsias puts Lugano back in the lead
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42.Goal for FC Lugano, 2:1 through Georgios Koutsias (Renato Steffen)
Georgios Koutsias
Striker
Assist: Renato Steffen
Striker
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40.
Celje scores the equalizer
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40.Goal for NK Celje, 1:1 through Svit Seslar (Armandas Kucys)
Svit Seslar
Striker
Assist: Armandas Kucys
Striker
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25.
Belhadj Mahmoud scores
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24.Yellow card NK Celje
Logan Delaurier Chaubet
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21.Goal for FC Lugano, 1:0 through Hadj Mahmoud (Georgios Koutsias)
Hadj Mahmoud
Midfielder
Assist: Georgios Koutsias
Striker
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8.
Grgic almost scores directly from a corner kick
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1.Start of the match
