The first leg of the barrage between FC Aarau and GC ended in a draw. Neither team managed to score a goal at Brügglifeld. Everything therefore remains open for the second leg next Thursday.
There was no discernible difference in class between the Challenge League runners-up and the Super League runners-up. Now the decision must be made on Thursday at the Letzigrund in Zurich.
Aarau and GC did not offer any footballing delicacies at the Brügglifeld. Compelling offensive actions were in short supply, and in the end neither team scored a statistically expected goal. As the home team, Aarau did a little more for a lucky punch, but without a tangible result.
GC in particular had caused a stir in the run-up to the match. Due to the construction work for the Metallica concert at the beginning of next week, the Letzigrund was not available on the original date of the barrage (Saturday, May 23). And because of past riots by GC supporters, the Zurich team was unable to find another stadium for the second leg.
As a last resort, the barrage was therefore brought forward by two days - the first leg was scheduled for Monday and the second leg for Thursday. And because GC did not want to play the last championship match on Saturday with the senior team due to the short recovery time, coach Peter Zeidler traveled to Lausanne with the U21s without further ado.
Aarau on a par despite short recovery time
While GC were able to line up on Monday evening with rested players - the senior team played their last match last Tuesday - Aarau had to digest the disappointment of missing out on direct relegation in the past few days and come to terms with the short recovery time. The Challenge League club only played their last game of the season against Yverdon-Sport on Friday (2-2 after leading 2-0).
However, these advantages on the Grasshoppers' side did not really pay off in the first leg. Eleven years after Aarau were relegated to the second-highest Swiss league, they have kept their chances of returning to the top flight alive. Unlike a year ago, when the same two teams faced each other in the barrage and GC already led 4-0 after the first leg.
Quotes from the game
The ticker to read afterwards
FC Aarau
Grasshopper Club Zurich
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Liveticker
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Liveticker closed
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65.
Müller misses the lead for Aarau
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61.
Asp Jensen with the chance from a free kick
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45.
Köhler in the interval interview
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0.
Aarau want to turn frustration into drive
Frustration runs deep when the Aarau players are asked about their upcoming clash with GC on Friday evening. The team has once again let a good starting position slip away and squandered a 2-0 lead in front of the home crowd. Instead of celebrating their return to the Super League after eleven years in the Challenge League, they now face a difficult barrage. And the first game there will take place just three days later.
The reason why the barrage dates have been brought forward is that GC would not have been able to play its home game on the originally scheduled date. The Letzigrund is then occupied due to a concert. Initially, the club appeared to be able to move the match to Lugano, as in the previous year, but the request was rejected due to fears of fan riots. The league therefore set alternative dates, which has now led to this special situation.
GC spares its players
It is incomprehensible that the scheduling of the game is now to the disadvantage of the Challenge League representative, defender Serge Müller told the newspaper "Blick". While Aarau fielded their best team on Friday, opponents GC were able to spare their A team for Saturday evening's meaningless game. The Zurich side fielded their U21 team, while a forfeit was given for their match in the 1st division. "Any other Super League team would do the same," explained GC coach Peter Zeidler in the run-up to the game.
Meanwhile, Aarau were told that they must now try to quickly shake off the disappointment of missing out on promotion and refocus. At least that was the tenor on Friday evening at the Brügglifeld. But that might be easier said than done. The hope now is that the frustration at their own inability and perceived injustice can be transformed into additional energy.
Statistics speak in favor of the Super League club
A look at the statistics speaks against Aarau: in the 16 barrage duels since 2004, the team from the Super League has prevailed eleven times. FC Aarau has also had this experience: of the four barrage participations to date, only the one in which Aarau competed as a Super League club ended successfully. In contrast, FCA failed three times as a Challenge League representative. The duel against Xamax seven years ago remains unforgettable, when Aarau squandered a 4-0 cushion from the first leg in the second leg.
This is GC's third barrage in a row - the second against Aarau. Unlike their opponents, the Zurich side were able to prepare for the task in peace. How much this advantage actually weighs will become clear on the pitch.
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90.+3.End of 2nd half
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90.+2.Substitution in FC Aarau
Leon Frokaj
Midfielder
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90.+2.Substitution out FC Aarau
Valon Fazliu
Midfielder
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85.Yellow card FC Aarau
Serge Müller
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82.Substitution in FC Aarau
Henri Koide
Striker
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82.Substitution out FC Aarau
Elias Filet
Striker
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81.Substitution in FC Aarau
Raúl Bobadilla
Striker
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81.Substitution out FC Aarau
Daniel Afriyie
Striker
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77.Substitution in Grasshopper Club Zurich
Maximilian Ullmann
Defender
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77.Substitution out Grasshopper Club Zurich
Nico Rissi
Defender
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76.Yellow card Grasshopper Club Zurich
Michael Frey
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72.Substitution in FC Aarau
Dorian Derbaci
Midfielder
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72.Substitution out FC Aarau
Olivier Jäckle
Midfielder
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72.Substitution in FC Aarau
Ramon Guzzo
Defender
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72.Substitution out FC Aarau
Linus Obexer
Defender
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69.Substitution in Grasshopper Club Zurich
Imourane Hassane
Midfielder
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69.Substitution out Grasshopper Club Zurich
Lee Young Joon
Striker
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66.Yellow card FC Aarau
Elias Filet
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53.Yellow card Grasshopper Club Zurich
Lovro Zvonarek
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46.Kick-off 2nd half
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45.+2.End of 1st half
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41.Yellow card FC Aarau
Linus Obexer
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39.Yellow card Grasshopper Club Zurich
Tim Meyer
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38.Yellow card FC Aarau
Olivier Jäckle
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1.Start of the match
