St.Gallen beat Lugano in a wild game Zigi saves controversial VAR penalty in the 98th minute

St.Gallen defend 2nd place in the third-last round of the Super League in Lugano. The eastern Swiss turned a 0:1 deficit into a 2:1 win in the rain in Ticino, with Lawrence Ati Zigi saving a penalty in stoppage time.

Lugano were well on their way to their fifth 1-0 win in a row in their second-last home game at the old stadium when things took an unexpected turn and Mihailo Stevanovic and Lukas Görtler turned the tide with a clearance and a handball penalty. In the 53rd minute, Mahmoud Belhadj Mahmoud finished off a flowing combination for Lugano to take the lead. At the end of a wild final phase, Ezgjan Alioski missed the opportunity from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time (98th minute) to help the Ticino side secure a draw.

When Belhadj Mahmoud made it 1:0 at the start of the second half, the hosts were overdue to take the lead. They had already scored twice in the first half (24 Kevin Behrens/45 Renato Steffen), but both times Behrens was awkwardly offside. On top of that, Antonios Papadopoulos hit the post and the advanced defender put the rebound next to the empty goal instead of into it (42').

FC St. Gallen thus rather flatteringly maintained their unbeaten record on foreign soil this calendar year and held on to second place, which they have held since the 10th round. Both second and third place qualify for the Conference League (2nd qualifying round) and St. Gallen can still secure a ticket for the Europa League (1st qualifying round) with a win in the cup final against lower-ranked Lausanne-Ouchy.

St. Gallen's downer in the incessant rain in Ticino were two injury-related absences. After half an hour, Nino Weibel badly strained his knee, and defensive midfielder Jozo Stanic, who had to undergo treatment early on in the game, was unable to continue after the first half. Lugano, for their part, will have to make do without Renato Steffen next Thursday, who is suspended.

Comments on the game

Video ticker

FC Lugano

Completed

1:2

(0:0)

FC St.Gallen

• Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud - 1:0 (53.)
•  
•  

•  
• (69.) 1:1 - Mihailo Stevanovic
• (74.) 1:2 - Lukas Görtler

• Ticker
• Videos
• Lineups
• Substitutions
• Statistics

• Liveticker

  New posts
• Liveticker closed
90.+8.
Zigi saves controversial VAR penalty in stoppage time
74.
Görtler scores after controversial VAR penalty
69.
Stevanovic can equalize for St.Gallen
54.
Belhadj gives Lugano the lead
42.
Papadopoulos plays a one-two with the post
35.
Okoroji and the crossbar save for St.Gallen
22.
Von Ballmoos saves Lugano from going behind
90.+10.
End of 2nd half
90.+9.
Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Betim Fazliji
Midfielder
90.+9.
Substitution out FC St.Gallen
Lukas Daschner
Midfielder
90.+8.
FC Lugano misses penalty

Ezgjan Alioski
Defender
90.+7.
Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Lukas Daschner
90.+3.
Yellow card FC Lugano
Hicham Mahou
90.+3.
Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Diego Besio
86.
Substitution in FC Lugano
Elias Pihlstrom
Midfielder
86.
Substitution out FC Lugano

Anto Grgic
Midfielder
84.
Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Nevio Scherrer
Striker
84.
Substitution out FC St.Gallen

Aliou Baldé
Striker
78.
Substitution in FC Lugano

Hicham Mahou
Midfielder
78.
Substitution out FC Lugano

Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud
Midfielder
77.
Substitution in FC Lugano
Mattia Bottani
Midfielder
77.
Substitution out FC Lugano

Lars Lukas Mai
Defender
77.
Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Carlo Boukhalfa
74.
Goal for FC St.Gallen, 1:2 through penalties from Lukas Görtler

Lukas Görtler
Midfielder
73.
Yellow card FC Lugano
Hannes Delcroix
71.
Substitution in FC Lugano

Ezgjan Alioski
Defender
71.
Substitution out FC Lugano
Yanis Cimignani
Midfielder
71.
Substitution in FC Lugano

Georgios Koutsias
Striker
71.
Substitution out FC Lugano

Kevin Behrens
Striker
69.
Goal for FC St.Gallen, 1:1 through Mihailo Stevanovic
Mihailo Stevanovic
Midfielder
66.
Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Hugo Vandermersch
53.
Goal for FC Lugano, 1:0 through Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud (Kevin Behrens)

Mohamed Belhadj Mahmoud
Midfielder

Assist: Kevin Behrens
Striker
52.
Yellow card FC Lugano
Renato Steffen
46.
Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Joel Ruiz
Defender
46.
Substitution out FC St.Gallen

Jozo Stanic
Defender
46.
Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Mihailo Stevanovic
Midfielder
46.
Substitution out FC St.Gallen
Alessandro Vogt
Striker
46.
Kick-off 2nd half
45.+4.
End of 1st half
32.
Substitution in FC St.Gallen
Diego Besio
Striker
32.
Substitution out FC St.Gallen
Nino Weibel
Midfielder
31.
Yellow card FC St.Gallen
Nino Weibel
1.
Start of the match