FC St.Gallen knocks out Trabzonspor and advances to the group stage of the Conference League. No wonder the Espen are overjoyed after their triumph.
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- FC St.Gallen win the penalty thriller against Trabzonspor and advance to the group stage of the Conference League.
- Coach Enrico Maassen and captain Lukas Görtler want to celebrate the success, even though the next game is already coming up on Sunday: away against Lugano.
- Stephan Ambrosius, who decided the game with his no-look penalty, said after the match: "We're a real unit, I noticed that as soon as I arrived."
"We're very happy, this is a big win for us," said FCSG coach Enrico Maassen at the press conference after the victory away to Trabzonspor in Turkey and the resulting progression to the group stage of the Conference League. As for the penalty shoot-out, the 40-year-old says: "It's a different sport."
A sport that the Espen are obviously good at. All five shooters are successful. Stephan Ambrosius decides the game with a no-look shot into fortune after Savic had previously hit the ball against the crossbar. "I come from the second Bundesliga, where Europe was still a long way off. We're a real unit, I noticed that as soon as I arrived. And then I took my last shot calmly," Ambrosius is quoted as saying in the St.Galler Tagblatt newspaper.
However, coach Maassen does not want to rest on his laurels: "We won our first final of the season today." More was not possible on this evening, but the team wants to be among the front runners in all competitions. But there is still room for a little celebration: "You have to celebrate the festivities as they fall. A short party and then it's on to the next one."
"Unbelievable, little St.Gallen wins here. Awesome!"
Captain Lukas Görtler, who dragged himself across the pitch in extra time totally exhausted, is also proud and happy: "Unbelievable, little St.Gallen wins here. Awesome! Everyone saw us as outsiders. In the end, we were even physically stronger." Everyone in St.Gallen wanted a title. Even if it isn't one, Görtler says: "But it feels like we've won a final. Cool, little St.Gallen is in Europe!" And he also says: "If we don't celebrate this now, then we haven't understood life."
St.Gallen face Lugano on Sunday
In the Super League, it's back to serious business for St.Gallen on Sunday. Görtler and Co. play away against FC Lugano(live on blue Sport from 16:00), who also have nine points after four games and will also be playing in the Conference League. However, the Luganesi will enter the game with different feelings, having suffered a heavy defeat away from home in the Europa League qualifiers. Mattia Croci-Torti's team lost the second leg away to Besiktas 1:5.
