FC Lugano Femminile have got off to a flying start in the Swiss Cup in the Canton of Solothurn. Facing Gäu Selection, the bianconeri ran out 7–0 (5–0) winners.
On the home ground of the Second League side, Coach Andrea Antonelli’s charges took control of the match from the very start. The first match of the knockout tournament – a tricky affair given the potential consequences of a failure to win – was approached in the best possible way by the girls, who steered the match in their favour with a brace from Michelle Unternährer scored within eleven minutes, between the sixth and seventeenth minutes.
Chances continued to be created, the team’s attitude remained spot on, and they found the net on three further occasions before half-time. The goals were scored by three different players: Antonella Albertini, Mia von Ballmoos and captain Melissa Colombo. In the second half, von Ballmoos’s second goal of the match and Josipa Dalić’s late strike sealed the final score.
The victory was therefore the result of an excellent display of character from the Lugano players, given that the match was crucial from a mental perspective. It would have been easy to underestimate an opponent from three divisions below, but the attitude displayed confirmed the strength and unity of the squad in their determination to achieve their goal. In addition to this, it was vital to give some playing time to players returning from minor injuries.
At the end of the match, the manager of the bianconeri women’s team had this to say: “It was an absolutely positive and productive afternoon. Good in every respect. The grass pitch, which we’re not used to, didn’t make things easy for us, but the performance from everyone was undoubtedly a sign of maturity. The match against Ostermundigen? The unusual kick-off time means we’ll have to start off at a bit of a ‘brisk’ pace. It’ll be a tough match, just like last year’s, when we failed to pick up any points. This time, we hope to make up for it. I’m confident in what the girls are showing on the pitch and in what I’m seeing during our weekly training sessions. We’ll go out there to give it our all, aiming to come home with all three points.”
FC Lugano Femminile’s next fixture is scheduled for Sunday 30 August 2026 at 1.00 pm at the Sportplatz Oberfeld in Ostermundigen, as part of matchday three of the National League B championship.
MATCH REPORT
Women’s Cup 2026–2027, 1st round (round of 32)
Fussballplatz Aesch, Härkingen
GÄU SELECTION – FC LUGANO FEMMINILE 0–7 (0–5)
GOALSCORERS: 6’ Unternährer 0–1, 17’ Unternährer 0–2, 21’ Albertini 0–3, 29’ von Ballmoos 0–4, 44’ Colombo 0–5, 71’ von Ballmoos 0–6, 87’ Dalić 0–7.
FC GÄU SELECTION (4–1–4–1): N. Kuhn; Wiederkehr, C. Gfeller, A. Kuhn, Friedl; Suter; Zeltner, J. Gfeller, Müller, Ansbach; Sommer.
Substitutes: Slezinger, Rossi, Al Keedy, Abi Chakra, Hager, Thomann, Schwarzenbach, Di Mauro.
Manager: Salvatore Albanese.
FC LUGANO FEMMINILE (4-3-2-1): Audrino; Aio (55’ Rossi), Colombo, Zanaboni, Unternährer (46’ Bassi); von Ballmoos, Iannaccone (55’ Calatti), Albertini (77’ Milosavljević); Oliva, Dalić; Nicolussi (68’ Stürmlin).
Substitutes: Gallesio, Andreoli.
Manager: Andrea Antonelli.
Women's First TeamAugust 23, 2026