FC Lugano secured their second consecutive victory in the Brack Super League, beating Grasshopper Club Zürich 4–1 at the Letzigrund Stadion. In their first away league match of the season, the bianconeri fought back from a first-half deficit to turn the match around with four goals in the second half.
PLANGE BREAKS THE DEADLOCK
The match began with a tentative start, during which both teams struggled to find space. In the 22nd minute, it was Grasshopper who broke the deadlock: Abrashi played a through ball to Stroscio, who reached the byline and delivered a low cross towards the far post. Plange beat the bianconeri defence to the ball and tapped it into the net to make it 1-0.
GCZ tried to capitalise on the momentum and, in the 27th minute, created another chance through Krasniqi. The striker, born in 2005, won a loose ball, entered the box and shot from close range, only to be denied by von Ballmoos.
FC Lugano grew into the game as the minutes ticked by and, in the 40th minute, came close to equalising with a move involving their two wingers. Alioski delivered a low cross from the left; Zanotti made a run from the opposite flank and met it with a header, but Hammel responded with a decisive save. In stoppage time, Dos Santos also had a go, but his left-footed shot from distance was saved by the Zurich goalkeeper.
FOUR GOALS IN THE SECOND HALF
In the second half, Croci-Torti brought on Cimignani and Behrens to bolster the attack. The change immediately paid off and, in the 52nd minute, FC Lugano equalised. From a corner taken by Grgić, Moncada rose highest in the centre of the box and scored his first goal in a bianconeri shirt with a header. The bianconeri proved once again to be a real threat from set-pieces and, following goals from Papadopoulos and Mai on the opening day, this was their third league goal to come from a corner.
The pressure continued and, in the 62nd minute, Zanotti crossed from the right, Alioski flicked it on to the far side and Behrens missed the deflection at the far post by just a few centimetres. Six minutes later, it was Grasshopper’s turn to have a great chance: Bengondo flicked on Hammel’s clearance to Clemente, who found himself one-on-one with von Ballmoos but fired over the bar.
FC Lugano completed their comeback in the 71st minute. Another assist from Grgić, who found a precise through-ball for Cimignani; the Frenchman turned and beat Hammel with a fine piece of skill. Seven minutes later, the score became 1–3: the newly substituted Pihlström set off from the centre-left, beat his direct opponent and fired in from outside the box at the near post, scoring his first goal in the bianconero strip.
The Swede almost scored his second straight away. In the 84th minute, following a set-piece cleared by the Zurich defence, he controlled the ball on his right foot and struck the outside of the crossbar. At the other end, Krasniqi tried to get his side back into the game in the 89th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box aimed just under the crossbar, but von Ballmoos dived to tip it away for a corner.
In stoppage time, Cimignani sealed the result once and for all. Kendouci, who had just come on, played a long ball that cut through the GCZ defence and set up the Frenchman, who skilfully lobbed the ball over the onrushing Hammel to make it 4–1.
FC Lugano therefore leave the Letzigrund with three points and a display of character, built on a second half of great intensity following a difficult first half. The bianconeri remain on maximum points with two wins from their first two matches and now turn their attention to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League: NSÍ Runavík visit the AIL Arena on Thursday at 8.30 pm.
MATCH REPORT
: GRASSHOPPER CLUB ZÜRICH – FC LUGANO 1–4
Brack Super League – Matchday
2 2 August 2026 – Letzigrund Stadium, Zurich
Attendance: 6,083
Goalscorers: 22’ Plange, 52’ Moncada, 71’ Cimignani, 78’ Pihlström, 92’ Cimignani.
GRASSHOPPER CLUB ZÜRICH (4-3-3): Hammel; Stroscio, Paloschi (58’ Diaby), Mikulić, Rissi; Abrashi (75’ Conateh), Meyer, Imourane (58’ Marques); Plange (46’ Clemente), Muçi (58’ Bengondo), Krasniqi.
Substitutes: Hübel, Creti, Papic, Sahin.
Manager: Peter Zeidler
FC LUGANO (3-4-2-1): von Ballmoos; Papadopoulos, Mai, Bichsel (46’ Cimignani); Zanotti, Grgić (81’ Kendouci), Bislimi, Alioski; Steffen (46’ Behrens), Dos Santos (81’ Delcroix); Moncada (67’ Pihlström).
Substitutes: Gebhardt, Kelvin, Beckham Castro, Ajdin.
Manager: Mattia Croci-Torti.
Referee: Marijan Drmic
. Assistant referees: Susanne Küng and Daniel von Känel
. Fourth official: Maxime Odiet
. VAR and AVAR: Mirel Turkes and Logan Berchier
. Booked: Meyer (GCZ), Rissi (GCZ).