FC Basel beat FCSB Bucharest 3:1 on matchday 4 of the Europa League phase. Despite being outnumbered for around 80 minutes, victory at St. Jakob-Park hangs in the balance for a long time.
06.11.2025, 20:47
06.11.2025, 20:58
SDA
Flop away, top at home. After four rounds in the Europa League, this pattern runs through Basel's performance, at least in terms of results. After losing away to SC Freiburg and Olympique Lyon, Basel also won its second home game on the European stage after the coup against Stuttgart. Ludovic Magnin's team struggled to three points against Romanian champions FCSB Bucharest.
Once again, Xherdan Shaqiri was the celebrated man with three goals. He scored twice himself and once provided the decisive pass. On 73 minutes, he was in the right place when Moussa Cissé's shot rebounded off the post. In a game characterized by many mistakes, it was the decisive 2:1. Finally, in the 88th minute, Shaqiri laid the ball perfectly into the path of substitute Ibrahim Salah: 3:1.
Basel had only themselves to blame for the fact that they had to tremble for victory for so long. The game seemed to be decided before the end of the first 20 minutes. The seemingly decisive scenes happened in quick succession. And both times a hand was involved.
In the 12th minute, a simple one-two pass between Moritz Broschinski and Shaqiri was enough for FCB to unhinge the Romanians' defense. The rushing Stefan Tarnovanu in the visitors' goal tried to prevent worse, but fended off Broschinski's ball outside the penalty area with his upper arm as he replaced the injured Albian Ajeti up front and was shown the red card.
Siyabonga Ngezana fended off Shaqiri's subsequent free-kick with his hand - this time from inside the sixteen. Shaqiri converted the resulting penalty with about as much confidence as FCB subsequently played with one man more.
Instead of running the ball against the decimated Romanians, the Swiss champions repeatedly got themselves into trouble. This was also the case in the 57th minute. After a long pass, Darius Olaru shook off Adrian Barisic and scored a wonderful equalizer past Marwin Hitz, which was not undeserved.
The fact that Basel were not punished for their proliferation of chances - Marin Soticek and Adrian Barisic missed the best opportunities - and their defensive shortcomings was also thanks to Marwin Hitz, who had to intervene more than he would have liked.
Telegram:
Basel - FCSB Bucharest 3:1 (1:0).
21'925 spectators. - SR Xhaja (ALB). - Goals: 18. Shaqiri (penalty) 1:0. 57. Olaru 1:1. 73. Shaqiri 2:1. 89. Salah 3:1.
Basel: Hitz; Cissé, Daniliuc, Barisic, Vouilloz (77. Rüegg); Leroy (62. Koindredi), Metinho; Soticek (64. Otele), Shaqiri, Traoré (77. Salah); Broschinski (87. Bacanin).
FCSB Bucharest: Tarnovanu; Radunovic, Graovac, Pantea; Sut (46. Edjouma), Tanase (75. Lixandru); Thiam (16. Zima), Olaru (75. Cisotti), Miculescu (85. Politic); Birligea.
Comments: Basel without Ajeti, Schmid and Tsunemoto (injured). 12th red card for Tarnovanu (handball). Cautions: 8. Barisic. 45th Leroy. 45th Pantea. 63rd Birligea. 68th Olaru.
