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Report nowDue to heavy rainfall, the match in the 1st Challenge League round between Aarau and Bellinzona had to be abandoned in the 65th minute. It is now clear: the match will be replayed in its entirety. Much to the annoyance of the FCA.
Aarau were leading 3:1 against Bellinzona on July 26 when referee Johannes von Mandach interrupted the game 25 minutes before the end. The pitch at Brügglifeld was no longer playable after heavy rainfall.
During the 20-minute interruption, Aarau staff and fans tried to remove the standing water from the pitch with shovels and towels. Without success. Von Mandach had no choice but to abandon the match.
On Monday, the Swiss Football League announced that the match would be replayed in full on Wednesday, August 13 at 7.30 pm. "All match statistics are no longer valid," the statement read.
Aarau find this difficult to understand. "FC Aarau notes with incomprehension that the Swiss Football League has decided to reschedule the abandoned match against AC Bellinzona for the entire duration of the game," the FCA wrote in a press release.
And further: "The fact that the match was kicked off after the half-time break in significantly worse pitch conditions is particularly offensive, while the improving condition of the pitch after the interruption was no longer sufficiently taken into account."
The team from Aargau would have liked the match to have been restarted in the 65th minute with the score at 3-1. The decision to reschedule the game was "in no way understandable". Nevertheless, the case is now closed for the FCA.
According to the SFL, an external disciplinary commission has closed the proceedings and decided that the match must be replayed. The Swiss Football Association's match regulations state: "The competent authority of the organization organizing the respective competition is solely entitled to order a replay if an association match has not been played or has been completed without a team or club (...) being responsible."
