FC Lugano Femminile dominated the match against Solothurn, inflicting a resounding 10–0 (6–0) defeat on their Swiss rivals in the 24th round of the Lega Nazionale B championship.
The match, played on the new pitch at the Al Maglio Sports Centre in Canobbio, was a one-sided affair from start to finish. However, it took quite a while for the deadlock to be broken. This was due to missed chances in front of goal by Antonella Albertini (dribbling into the box and firing wide with her right foot after eight minutes) and Lucrezia Sasso (a left-footed effort at the near post parried for a corner by Leonie Kohler in the 23rd minute, a spectacular left-footed shot wide after a superb run into the box in the 29th minute, and a deflection off the goal line following an assist from Mathilda Andreoli in the 35th minute).
Just as the Solothurn goal seemed to be under a spell, Michelle Gigante conjured up a ‘stunner’ from distance that found the top corner. It was the 37th minute, and right up until referee Tharmini Muralitharan blew the whistle for half-time, the home side kept their foot on the accelerator, scoring time and again. In the following 120 seconds, Sasso masterfully shook off Kawtar Boukhris and doubled the lead with a diagonal shot under the crossbar, whilst Andreoli beat the same Swiss player to the ball and made it three with a precise curling right-footed shot. That became four and then five thanks to Melissa Colombo (the quickest to react, aided by a deflection from Boukhris, after a general scramble following Albertini’s free-kick) and Aline Oliva (who was well positioned at the far post to meet Sasso’s cross). The first half ended 1–0 thanks to Gigante’s superb lob from the edge of the box.
In the second half, the Lugano girls didn’t let up and found the net on four further occasions. In the 50th minute, Andreoli was sent through on goal between the Swiss-German lines and, with a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner past the goalkeeper, scored her side’s seventh. Shortly afterwards, Sasso’s header from the centre of the box went over the bar. That chance did not rattle the centre-forward, as her dribble past Kohler proved successful and made it 8-0. On the hour mark, the newly substituted Nina Gnesa – who had been on the pitch for just a few seconds – followed her strike partner’s lead and celebrated with a simple tap-in into an empty net. Whilst the visitors’ attempts were sporadic and all off target, the goal that took the score to 10–0 was superbly executed by Sasso, who found the net with a follow-up shot. Finally, in the 90th minute, the same #16 could have added to the tally, but her shot was denied by the crossbar. Gnesa’s subsequent attempt was then blocked on the goal line.
The resounding 10-0 victory, fully deserved by FC Lugano Femminile, sees the Bianconeri climb to 32 points, putting them in an ideal position to finish the league in first place. The next fixture for Giorgia Zanaboni and her teammates is scheduled for Saturday 16 May 2026 at 18:00, when they face Oerlikon/Polizei away, with the Zurich side still fighting to retain their place in the second tier of Swiss women’s football.
A clearly satisfied manager Andrea Antonelli explained his players’ performance as follows: “We struggled quite a bit to break the deadlock. Until our first goal, we were in control, but it felt a bit like a repeat of last week’s match in Wädenswil. Once we took the lead, the game was effectively in the bag. We made up for what we’d left on the table seven days earlier. That’s how the match should have been approached. Now, there are two matches left and we want to do justice to both. After the break, we could have relaxed, but instead our attitude was spot on. We had to stay focused, both mentally and physically. A moment’s lapse is enough to throw a week’s work away. For the away match at Oerlikon, the second half was crucial, as we didn’t give an inch, even though the final score might suggest otherwise.”
MATCH REPORT
Women’s National League B, placement tournament, Matchday 24
Al Maglio Sports Centre, Canobbio – 100 spectators
FC LUGANO WOMEN – FC SOLOTHURN WOMEN 10–0 (6–0)
GOALS: 37’ Gigante 1–0, 38’ Sasso 2–0, 39' Andreoli 3:0, 41' Colombo 4:0, 43' Oliva 5:0, 45' +2' Gigante 6:0, 50' Andreoli 7:0, 58' Sasso 8:0, 60' Gnesa 9:0, 85' Sasso 10:0.
FC LUGANO WOMEN (4-4-1-1): Audrino; Di Mauro, Colombo, Zanaboni (46' Gorza), Aio; Oliva, von Ballmoos (59' Castellani), Gigante (46' Bassi), Andreoli (59' Gnesa); Albertini (73' Boettger); Sasso.
Substitutes: Enning, Nascimento Sá.
Manager: Andrea Antonelli.
FC SOLOTHURN WOMEN (4-3-3): Kohler; Steiner, Boukhris, Meyer (46' Tarchini), Alder; Inniger, Zürcher, Wyder; Bah (46' Feier), Zaugg (61' Schluchter), Graf (64' Emin).
Manager: Jana Kohler.
REFEREE: Tharmini Muralitharan.
ASSISTANTS: Hendrik Thiele and Mersad Bećirović.
Women's First TeamMay 10, 2026