The only full midweek round scheduled for the 2025-2026 National League B season does not allow FC Lugano Women's to regain a full smile following the 0:0 draw obtained against Oerlikon/Polizei.
The duel, which started with a slight breeze, saw the Zurich women create a first good chance to unlock the score in the seventh minute. A throw past the entire rearguard reached Flavia Arpagaus, who controlled and hesitated to shoot, allowing Marie Enning to position herself and block the ball in two times.
The match, while showing a home team more inclined to control operations, does not offer chances "à go-go." The response to the Confederates' initial opportunity came in the 17th, when Michelle Gigante served Anna Crapanzano in the center of the area. The Italian trequartista impacts the ball in the stretch, with the ball going just wide. Until the double whistle followed a goal disallowed for offside to Antonella Albertini midway through the half and a valuable assist between the lines by the latter for Crapanzano, who was walled off by Lucia Zuberbühler's excellent exit.
In the resumption, it is necessary to wait until the fifty-eighth and the Ticinese protests over a hand foul by the guests in their area not detected by referee Philip Aarskog. At this point, the Sottocenerine press more fervently and a cross by Lucrezia Sasso for Albertini does not meet the sought-after luck. After that, a quick counterattack on the Crapanzano-Sasso axis does not turn into the net by a whisker. A peremptory foray by Sabina Di Muro, which ended with a right-footed shot aimed at the crossroads of the posts, is then repelled with her fingertips by Zuberbühler.
The locals' push continued, and Di Muro, served by sub Mathilda Andreoli, tried to change the result, but the Tigurine extreme defender was not of the same opinion, deflecting the moving penalty kick into a corner. The last opportunity bears the signature of Eleonora Castellani, whose header at the eighty-ninth minute from under measure does not frame the goal mirror by a null.
"There was less phrasing than usual, but it was an intentional tactic to play more vertically. I find that we dominated the match from start to finish, with at least five big scoring chances. The penalty not whistled? If the match director assessed it that way, it means it was not to be awarded. Sorry, because the team did 99% of things well, risking very little. The point leaves us with a lot of bitterness in our mouths, which must serve to raise the desire for revenge. I am happy with the group I have at my disposal. The lack of nastiness in goal? It's clear that in the situation we're in you say "I have to score," while when you're calm you think "now I'm going to score." We have to continue like this and sooner or later we will get unstuck. More work needs to be done, with each one being self-critical with themselves. Starting with me. But the road is the right one. As for the "English week," it is obvious that we need to manage our forces differently. In Winterthur I expect the girls to repeat the performance provided with Oerlikon, defending with order and attacking quickly with timely transitions. And the desire I see under the goal in training we will have to bring it to Canton Zurich as well.", the hot analysis of coach Giorgio Fransioli.
The rich week of appointments for the HCL girls - who, with the point won, rise to 4, however, dropping from 8th to 9th position in the standings - will see its end on Sunday, September 28, 2025. In fact, at 2 p.m., Melissa Colombo and her teammates will be guests of Winterthur at the Schützenwiese.
TABLE
National League B, Day 6
Cornaredo Stadium, Field F - 100 spectators
FC LUGANO DONNE - FC OERLIKON/POLIZEI ZH 0:0
WOMEN'S FC LUGANO (4-3-3): Enning; Russo, Colombo, Zanaboni, Nascimento Sa; Di Muro, Crapanzano, Albertini; Gigante (88′ Castellani), Oliva (69′ Andreoli), Sasso.
In disp. Audrino, Bassi, Unternährer, Stomeo, Dalić.
All. Giorgio Fransioli.
FC OERLIKON/POLIZEI ZH (4-1-4-1): Zuberbühler; Milone (62′ Erkol), Zwimpfer, Sidaine-Daumiller, Specht; S. Arpagaus; F. Arpagaus, Franscini, Akyol, Hurni; Pérez (62′ Staub).
In disp. Zumbühl, Benslama, Egli, Machaidze.
All. Marina Radulović.
REFEREE: Philip Aarskog.
ASSISTANTS: Hakan Erdöl and Hendrik Thiele.