FC St. Gallen drew 0-0 at home to Trabzonspor in the first leg of their Conference League play-off. After a poor first half, the eastern Swiss side turned on the heat towards the end and had to contend with the VAR.
St. Gallen missed out on a 0-0 draw at home to Trabzonspor in the first leg of the Conference League play-off. The eastern Swiss side were outplayed for a long time, but came closer to the lucky punch in the end.
A week after FCSG's turbulent away win in Poland with four VAR interventions, three sending-offs and a late penalty goal during 20 minutes of stoppage time, things were not quite as spectacular in the sold-out St. Gallen Arena.
It was not until the very end that the 16,291 spectators were filled with emotion. Willem Geubbels scored the would-be St. Gallen winner in the 87th minute after a corner kick. However, following a video review, the referee disallowed the goal, much to the displeasure of the home fans, on the grounds that the Frenchman had been leaning on his opponent when he headed the ball.
Zigi's brilliant saves and the crossbar
Admittedly, the 1:0 victory would have been very flattering for the team from eastern Switzerland. Although Enrico Maassen's team defended passionately, they were rarely able to set the tone in attack. In stoppage time, substitute Kevin Csoboth once again missed the lucky punch. The Hungarian's shot just missed the goal. St. Gallen were thus without a goal for the first time in this European Cup campaign and since their unsuccessful start to the championship (0:1 in Winterthur).
The fact that Trabzonspor also failed to score (for the fourth game in a row!) was mainly down to Lawrence Ati Zigi. The favored Turks created numerous top chances, but the St. Gallen goalkeeper thwarted them all.
Edin Visca appeared alone in front of Zigi after just seven minutes following a careless loss of possession by Bastien Toma, but he was able to make a save. Just a minute later, Zigi steered a lob from Enis Bardhi onto the crossbar. In first-half stoppage time, the Ghanaian made another bravura save to thwart another double chance for the visitors.
It still needs a "miracle from Moscow"
St. Gallen would have done well to go one better against the Turkish cup winners at home - at least that's what a glance at the history books tells us: in 18 European Cup matches played by Swiss clubs in Turkey, only FC Basel (2003 at Malatyaspor) and Lugano last year against Besiktas Istanbul have managed a win.
But football fans from eastern Switzerland prefer to remember 2013. Back then, FCSG traveled to the play-off second leg in Moscow with little credit after a 1-1 draw at home, and pulled off the coup with a spectacular 4-2 win over Spartak to qualify for the Europa League group stage.
The telegram
St. Gallen - Trabzonspor 0:0
16,291 spectators (sold out). - SR Nogueira (POR).
St. Gallen: Ati Zigi; Faber, Ambrosius, Vallci, Okoroji; Görtler, Quintillà (34. Stevanovic), Witzig (72. Ruiz); Toma (72. Csoboth); Geubbels, Akolo (73. Cissé).
Remarks: St. Gallen without Schmidt (injured). 87th goal by Geubbels disallowed by VAR for foul play.
The live ticker for review
FC St.Gallen
Trabzonspor
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Liveticker
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Liveticker closed
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90. + 9.
Final whistle: St.Gallen - Trabzonspor 0:0
What a final offensive from eastern Switzerland. After a weak first half, they almost deserved to win. And had the VAR not intervened with a harsh, but probably correct, decision, this would have ended 1-0 to the home team. The last 15 minutes should give Enrico Maassen's team confidence for the second leg in Turkey in a week's time.
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90. + 7.
Csoboth misses the winning goal
St.Gallen press and press. After a strong move down the right-hand side, Görtler crosses the ball to the left, where Csoboth gets to the ball in the penalty area and sends a hammer across the five-meter area. Just over. The score remains 0:0.
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90. + 4.
Great chance for St.Gallen
Trabzonspor are now on the ropes. Ruiz with another dangerous corner, this time straight at goal. Ugurcan just manages to clear out of the turmoil and is awarded a free kick. He seizes the opportunity and remains on the ground for a minute and a half.
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90.
8 minutes added time
The referee allows eight minutes of added time.
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88.
The VAR rescinds the goal
The video assistant referee seems to have recognized something and takes the goal back. Geubbels appears to pull something on his opponent's shirt. He wouldn't have got the ball anyway, but it was probably too much for the referee.
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86.
St.Gallen - Trabzonspor 1:0
Yay! There's the goal! Willem Geubbels nods in the opening goal from St.Gallen's sixth corner. Ruiz's cross is spot on and Geubbels scores from a central position into the far corner.
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80.
St.Gallen go in search of the winner
After a strong start to the second half, Trabzonspor do not get much going. St.Gallen, on the other hand, have gained hope since the triple substitution. Can they still score the winner?
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74.
Csoboth narrowly misses
The new players get off to a good start. After a long ball from Stevanovic, Csoboth gets to the ball on the left wing, moves to the middle and takes a shot. The ball flies just wide of the second post. Is this the start of St.Gallen's final offensive?
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72.
Triple substitution for FC St.Gallen
Ruiz replaces Witzig
Csoboth comes on for Toma
Cissé comes on for Akolo
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69.
Chance for St.Gallen
For once, St.Gallen establish themselves in the opponent's half and create a good opportunity. After several attempts to penetrate the Turkish penalty area, Toma suddenly has a free shot. However, his rather weak shot ends up in the hands of Trabzonspor keeper Ugurcan.
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66.
Luck for St.Gallen
New substitute Trezeguet gets a free header after a cross in front of Zigi, but puts the ball well over the goal. Lucky for the Espen. The score remains 0-0.
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63.
Turkish fans roar
The visitors' block is on fire again and the game has to be interrupted. A firework that has landed on the pitch turns out to be particularly stubborn. It takes a few minutes before it can be removed by the fire department. Then the game continues.
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57.
Chance for St.Gallen
The Eastern Swiss lack a little precision in their passing. Akolo tries to pass to Geubbels in a dangerous position in the penalty area, but the ball is too short and can be cleared. Too bad.
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55.
Trabzonspor come out of the break strongly
Just like at the start of the first half, the Turks start the second half stronger. So far, however, neither side has created any chances.
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46.
Start of the second half
The players are back. The second 45 minutes continue.
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44.
Zigi spectacle at Kybunpark
After the game, Zigi will probably be asking himself how he scored the first header. The second save is a wonderful flying save by the FCSG keeper, who once again ensures that St.Gallen are not behind with this double feat. What a performance from Zigi!
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40.
Another goal before the break?
The game has turned into a tactical midfield skirmish and is only inspiring to a very limited extent. Maybe another goal before the break?
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34.
First change for St.Gallen
Quintilla can no longer continue. The St.Gallen midfielder leaves the pitch with a thigh injury and is replaced by Mihailo Stevanovic.
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29.
Top chance for St.Gallen
After winning the ball in midfield, things suddenly move quickly. Witzig and Geubbels are only facing one defender in the middle, but the latter smells the cross and gets in the way, preventing the Swiss side from making it 1-0.
Shortly afterwards, Akolo puts the ball next to the goal with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. Green-White have now definitely arrived in this game.
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26.
First half chance for St.Gallen
At the other end, after a foul on Geubbels, St.Gallen try a free-kick variation via Quintilla to Vallci, which must have been thought up in training. But the visitors are on their guard and block the shot immediately.
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24.
Zigi for the third!
Once again, it is only the goalkeeper from eastern Switzerland who prevents Trabzonspor from taking the lead. Zigi scratches a powerful free kick from Bardhi out of the corner with both hands.
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21.
Question mark over Quintilla
St.Gallen's midfield director remains down and has to be tended to. Stevanovic warms up on the touchline. But then there's tape on the Spaniard's thigh - and on we go! The question is, for how long?
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15.
First quarter of an hour through
The first 15 minutes clearly go to the visitors from Turkey. St.Gallen can thank goalkeeper Zigi that the score is still 0-0. Apart from two corner kicks, there is not much going forward so far.
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9.
Zigi for the second
After an impressive pass from Trabzonspor defender Savic, another Turkish striker finds himself alone in front of Zigi. This time it's Bardhi who tries to lob the ball over Zigi. But the FCSG keeper gets a hand to the ball and deflects it onto the crossbar. Ufff...
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7.
Zigi saves!
After a quiet start, Toma is the last man to lose the ball after a failed St.Gallen corner. Two of the Turks storm towards Zigi alone, but Okoroji is able to interfere at the last moment and Zigi makes a strong save to keep the ball out.
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1.
Kick-off
After a short delay due to fireworks finding their way onto the pitch from the away block, the match gets underway. The ball is rolling.
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This is how FC St.Gallen starts the match
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The Trabzonspor line-up
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Full house in St.Gallen
As FCSG announced long before kick-off, the Kybunpark in St.Gallen is completely sold out for today's match. Can the more than 18,000 fans from eastern Switzerland whip their team to victory, as they did in the last round against Slask Wroclaw?
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Hello ...
... and welcome to the live ticker for the match between FC St.Gallen and Trabzonspor. The team from eastern Switzerland will try to get ahead in the Conference League play-off first leg at home in Kybunpark against the visitors from the Turkish port city of Trabzon. Kick-off is at 21:00. You can watch live here.
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90.+8.End of 2nd half
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90.+1.Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Lukas Görtler
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88.Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Willem Geubbels
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84.Substitution in Trabzonspor
Denis Dragus
Striker
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84.Substitution out Trabzonspor
Enis Destan
Striker
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84.Substitution in Trabzonspor
Umut Günes
Midfielder
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84.Substitution out Trabzonspor
Batista Mendy
Midfielder
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81.Yellow card Trabzonspor
Borna Barišic
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80.Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Víctor Ruiz
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73.Substitution in Trabzonspor
Cihan Canak
Striker
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73.Substitution out Trabzonspor
Enis Bardhi
Midfielder
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72.Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Moustapha Cissé
Striker
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72.Substitution out FC St.Gallen
Chadrac Akolo
Striker
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72.Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Víctor Ruiz
Midfielder
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72.Substitution out FC St.Gallen
Christian Witzig
Midfielder
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72.Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Kevin Csoboth
Striker
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72.Substitution out FC St.Gallen
Bastien Toma
Midfielder
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62.Substitution in Trabzonspor
Mahmoud Trezeguet
Striker
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62.Substitution out Trabzonspor
Mislav Oršic
Midfielder
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62.Substitution in Trabzonspor
John Lundstram
Midfielder
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62.Substitution out Trabzonspor
Okay Yokuslu
Midfielder
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46.Kick-off 2nd half
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45.+3.End of 1st half
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34.Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Mihailo Stevanovic
Midfielder
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34.Substitution out FC St.Gallen
Jordi Quintillà
Midfielder
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25.Yellow card Trabzonspor
Okay Yokuslu
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1.Start of the match
