FC Lugano have got off to a flying start in the 2026/27 Brack Super League. Following their European victory over KF Dukagjini, the bianconeri return to the AIL Arena for the opening day of the league season and kick off this new chapter in Switzerland with a home win.
In front of 6,949 spectators, Mattia Croci-Torti’s side beat FC Vaduz 2–1 thanks to first-half goals from Antonios Papadopoulos and Lukas Mai. The visitors pulled one back in the second half through Lutfi Dalipi, but Lugano held on in the closing stages to secure their first three points of the season.
A BIANCONERO ONE-TWO
As the match got underway, it was Vaduz who created the first real threat of the game. In the 15th minute, Djokic found space to shoot and hit the post, with Monsberger failing to convert the rebound into an open net. Two minutes later came the bianconeri’s response: Grgić played the ball into the box for Steffen, whose left-footed shot was saved by Schaffran, who had come off his line low.
The visitors continued to pose a threat and, in the 22nd minute, Djokic went it alone once more, cutting into the box past Bislimi and Papadopoulos before firing just wide.
Lugano, however, made the most of their chance when it came. In the 29th minute, following a corner, the Vaduz defence cleared the initial ball, but Lukas Mai immediately headed it back into the box with a precise header. Papadopoulos read the play, made a run into the box and, with a left-footed volley, scored a splendid goal to make it 1–0.
Vaduz’s response was immediate: Sawadogo crossed from the wing and Monsberger met it with a header, sending the ball just wide.
In the 37th minute, the bianconeri capitalised on another set-piece. Steffen delivered the cross and Mai rose highest to head home and make it 2–0. After setting up Papadopoulos, the German defender also found the net himself, scoring his first goal in a bianconeri shirt in his 149th appearance.
Lugano thus ended the first half with a two-goal lead. A result built on greater effectiveness in the final third, following a start in which Vaduz managed to put the bianconeri defence under pressure on several occasions.
THREE SHOTS AND A SENDING-OFF
The second half began with Lugano taking the initiative and Pihlström, who had been selected to start up front in place of Behrens, creating two consecutive chances. First, the Swede tried a curling right-footed shot from outside the box, forcing Schaffran to tip it away for a corner; then he attacked the near post from Cimignani’s cross but narrowly failed to direct the ball on target.
In the 56th minute, another set-piece brought the bianconeri’s third centre-back close to scoring. From Grgić’s cross, Bichsel turned towards goal and forced Schaffran into a crucial save.
Vaduz, however, did not give up on attacking. In the 68th minute, Eberhard unleashed a powerful left-footed shot from distance which von Ballmoos tipped away for a corner. Three minutes later, the visitors managed to pull one back: Dalipi broke down the right, cut inside into the box and slotted the ball into the far corner with his left foot to make it 2–1.
Croci-Torti’s side reacted immediately. In the 76th minute, Zanotti crossed for the newly-introduced Behrens, whose header struck the crossbar; Moncada was also unable to convert the rebound.
In the 81st minute, Mai played a through ball to Moncada, who rounded Schaffran and was brought down by the goalkeeper just outside the box. The referee produced a red card and, having already used up all their substitutions, Vaduz were forced to field centre-back and captain Liridon Berisha in goal. From the resulting free-kick, Grgić aimed directly at goal, but the ball struck the top of the crossbar.
With a man advantage, Lugano continued to press for a second goal. In the 88th minute, Moncada won the ball back in a forward position; Behrens played a through ball to Zanotti, and the full-back fired just wide.
In stoppage time, however, Vaduz tried to push forward in search of an equaliser, causing the crowd at the AIL Arena some anxiety, but the last big chance fell to the bianconeri: Carbone, who had just come on, unleashed a shot-cum-cross from the left that crashed against the crossbar. It was Lugano’s third shot against the woodwork in the second half; although they failed to seal the match definitively, they defended their lead until the final whistle.
Following their success in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League Q2, they have now secured their first victory in the Brack Super League. FC Lugano start with three points and celebrate their league debut at the AIL Arena in the best possible way. The fixture list, however, offers no respite: in three days’ time, the bianconeri will be back in action in Kosovo for the second leg against KF Dukagjini.
MATCH REPORT
FC LUGANO – FC VADUZ 2–1
Brack Super League – Matchday
1, 26 July 2026 – AIL Arena
Attendance: 6,949
Goalscorers: 29’ Papadopoulos, 37’ Mai, 71’ Dalipi.
FC LUGANO (3-4-1-2): von Ballmoos; Papadopoulos, Mai, Bichsel; Cimignani (69’ Zanotti), Grgić, Bislimi, Alioski (93’ Carbone); Kendouci (60’ Dos Santos); Pihlström (69’ Behrens), Steffen (60’ Moncada).
Substitutes: Gebhardt, Kelvin, Beckham Castro, Ajdini.
Manager: Mattia Croci-Torti.
FC VADUZ (4-1-2-1-2): Schaffran; Sawadogo (80’ Schwizer), Berisha, Lang, Beeli (58’ Hasler); Mack; Cabrera (58’ Eberhard), Stark (66’ Čočić); Dalipi; Monsberger, Djokic (46’ Sorgić).
Substitutes: Büchel, Simani, Celentano, Hammerich.
Manager: Marc Schneider.
Referee: Alessandro Dudic
. Assistant referees: Pascal Hirzel and Nicolas Müller
. Fourth official: Jonathan Jaussi
. VAR and AVAR: Johannes von Mandach and Joël Brunner
Booked: Papadopoulos (LUG), Monsberger (VAD).
Sent off: Schaffran (VAD).