FC Basel lose their first game under new coach Stephan Lichtsteiner. After losing 1:0 to Viktoria Pilsen, Basel are eliminated from the Europa League.
Stephan Lichtsteiner did not have much time to settle into his new place of work. The FC Basel coach, who was unveiled on Tuesday, was able to complete just two training sessions with his new team before things got serious for FCB for the first time. The former captain of the Swiss national team said beforehand that he certainly couldn't change much in such a short space of time. The most important thing was that every player on the pitch knew exactly what he had to do.
Lichtsteiner certainly seemed to have given his protégés a plan. In any case, the Basel collective looked well organized most of the time. But on this final matchday of the Europa League league phase, they also faced an opponent that is unbeaten in this European campaign, Viktoria Pilsen.
Unsurprisingly, the Czechs had more of the play over long stretches and at times looked like what the Basel management would like to see from their team: a solid team that makes the most of a few chances and wins games.
Panos' volley
It is not known how often Lichtsteiner's training schedule has included corner kicks. After this game, however, they are likely to have moved up a few places on the to-do list. In the 39th minute, Basel left Jiri Panos completely unmarked on the left side of his own penalty area. And the 18-year-old Czech talent scored with a spectacular volley against Marwin Hitz, who had to stay in the dressing room at the break due to an injury.
His deputy Mirko Salvi did not have much to do after that, but at the other end his team-mates were unable to turn things around either. Jonas Adjetey and Xherdan Shaqiri missed excellent opportunities in the closing stages. But Lichtsteiner was denied the honors of winning a point on his debut.
Bitter: A look at the other results and the table shows that FCB would have actually made it into the knockout phase with a win. But nothing came of it.
Comments on the game
The telegram
Basel - Pilsen 0:1 (0:1)
20454 spectators. - SR Kruashvili (GEO). -
Goal: 39. Panos 0:1.
Basel: Hitz (46. Salvi); Rüegg, Adjetey, Daniliuc, Schmid (64. Cissé); Kacuri, Koindredi (58. Leroy); Traoré (58. Agbonifo), Shaqiri, Otele (78. Salah); Ajeti.
Pilsen: Wiegele; Doski, Dweh, Jemelka; Souaré (94. Novak), Valenta (78. Kabongo), Cerv, Spacil; Memic, Ladra; Panos (64. Visinsky).
Remarks: Basel without Broschinski, Eduardo, Metinho and Tsunemoto (all injured). 60th goal by Souaré disallowed for offside. Cautions: 33rd Adjetey. 43rd Rüegg. 68th Dweh. 92nd Mamic.
