Following their victories against Schaffhausen and Aarau, AC Bellinzona also upset FC Thun. The Ticino side defeated the previously unbeaten Challenge leaders 2:1 away from home in the 7th round.
Chinwendu Nkama led Bellinzona to victory in the 93rd minute with a powerful long-range shot in his second competitive game with oldie Jonathan Sabbatini, who had come over from Lugano. In contrast to the 0:1 through Ranjan Neelakandan at the start of the second half, when Elmin Rastoder equalized quickly, Thun had no quick answer.
Coach Mauro Lustrinellis' Bernese Oberland side thus suffered their first defeat. Because their closest rivals Etoile-Carouge (4:2 at Stade Nyonnais) and Neuchâtel Xamax (2:1 at Schaffhausen) won, their lead in the table shrank to one point.
After the exploit in the Cup against Luzern (1:0), Aarau also got back on track in the league. Coach Bunello Iacopetta's side, who started the Challenge League on a weak note with just one win from six games, won 5-2 in Vaduz after twice falling behind, thus passing on the red lantern of bottom of the table to relegated Lausanne-Ouchy (0-0 against Wil).
Brief telegrams and rankings:
Thun - Bellinzona 1:2 (0:0). - 3715 spectators. - SR Odiet. - Goals: 49. Neelakandan 0:1. 62. Rastoder 1:1. 92. Nkama 1:2.
Vaduz - Aarau 2:5 (2:3). - 1378 spectators. - Referee Qovanaj. - Goals: 5 Hasler 1:0. 18 Koide 1:1. 19 Cavegn 2:1. 38 Touré 2:2. 43 Berisha (own goal) 2:3. 63 Touré 2:4. 89 Ernest 2:5.
Schaffhausen - Xamax 1:2 (1:0). - 1267 spectators. - SR Schärli. - Goals: 2. De Donno 1:0. 60. Touati 1:1. 74. Koné 1:2.
Nyon - Etoile Carouge 2:4 (1:2). - 850 spectators. - Ref Huwiler. - Goals: 10. Oscar Correia 0:1. 21. Petit 1:1. 25. Marculino Ninte 1:2. 55. Nvendo 1:3. 57. Pasche (penalty) 2:3. 76. Hysenaj 2:4.
Stade-Lausanne - Wil 0:0 - 475 spectators. - SR Grundbacher.
