The victory on the leader's field adds an important piece to FC Lugano's path, able to impose itself at Thun at the end of an intense game, played with great personality and closed in numeric inferiority. A performance that confirms the team's positive moment and strengthens the group's awareness, as Mattia Croci-Torti underlined after the game.
The HCL coach starts from the decisive entrance of Cassano, author of the goal that decided the match. "Cassano has incredible ballistic skills," he explains, recounting his own tactical choice in the final. "I was about to make other changes, then I said: we came to win, I try to play the Cassano card, who beats set pieces well. In the end it made us win differently, but it was yet another victory for the group'. A concept that Croci-Torti reiterated several times, thanking all the substitutes - from Koutsias to Brault-Guillard, from Belhadj to El Wafi - for the impact they brought in the most delicate phase of the match.
"In ten they fought like lions. It is a victory to be dedicated to the Lugano fans", he added, also recalling the previous defeat just against Thun.
Among the protagonists of the night there is once more Amir Saipi, author of decisive saves in several moments of the game. Croci-Torti highlighted his growth, underlining the importance of the mental aspect: "Saipi today is a different goalkeeper. The head makes the difference and he has regained his former body language. I am very happy for him: in Thun's best moment he showed that he is a very good goalkeeper".
The gaze then shifts to the analysis of the match: a first half of great quality in possession - "more than seventy percent," recalls Croci-Torti - and a second half tackled with order and spirit of sacrifice, especially after Bislimi's expulsion. "The pitch was not easy, in the last twenty metres we struggled more, and we have to pay compliments to Thun for their intensity in the second half. But we wanted to win it until the end, and this is the spirit to bring to the next match".
Finally, a hint to the next engagement against St. Gallen, an appointment that comes at a particular moment and of great motivation for the whole environment. "We lose Bislimi, but those who came in have shown that they want to give everything for the team. Let's recover well and prepare for the next game."