Lugano U21 continued their impressive run of form at the start of April, securing a well-deserved 4–2 (3–1) victory over their local rivals Basel.
Taking to the pitch without Diego Mina – called up by Mattia Croci-Torti for the first team’s equally victorious away trip to Zurich to replace the injured David von Ballmoos – and with Ahmadou Ndiaye in goal, the side led by manager Andrea Vitali approached the match as expected, diligently holding their positions against an opponent highly skilled in passing and build-up play.
However, the first chance to break the deadlock fell to the home side. In the seventh minute, Ndiaye played a long ball to Ian Tiraboschi (who may have been slightly offside), who crossed for Christian Raffa. The attacking midfielder struck a right-footed shot aimed at the top corner, which went just wide. This was a prelude to what happened at the other end of the pitch sixty seconds later. A corner from Agon Rexhaj found Moyo Uruejoma unmarked inside the box. The Renan captain headed the ball across goal to give his side the lead. Another seven
minutes passed and the visitors sent a shiver down the spines of the Sub-Cenerian side. Following a handball not spotted by referee Yannick Carrard, Jean Doucouré found himself one-on-one with Ndiaye, but shot straight at the home goalkeeper. Having weathered the storm, the Lugano side treated the large crowd to a spectacular move that resulted in the provisional equaliser. Gjan Ajdin played a splendid through ball to Yuri Peverelli, who laid the ball back to allow the onrushing Ian Tiraboschi to curl a left-footed shot into the corner for the 1-1 equaliser, ending a goal drought that had lasted a full 267 minutes.
The Ticino side were now flying high, and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 26th minute. Yassin Sbai played the ball towards Rafael Frizzi, who beat his marker to the ball with a header and sprinted towards the byline. Once he reached the byline, the striker played a pass to Ajdin on the edge of the box. The Swedish-born playmaker – who, out of respect for his former team, did not celebrate as he would have liked – controlled the ball, took aim and, with a superb curling right-footed shot into the far bottom corner, made it 2-1. The excitement doesn’t end there, as a run by Peverelli forces Bennett Hoch into a crucial save with a quick reaction at the near post.
A Frizzi header that goes narrowly wide and a central turn by Ajdin are then a preview of what is to come in the 45th minute. Milad Amirzade emerged as the hero of a great recovery, subsequently delivering a precise low through-ball for Frizzi, who didn’t hesitate and struck the ball powerfully first-time, sending it past Hoch and giving the home side a two-goal lead at half-time.
To witness the first ‘key’ moment of the second half, one had to wait until the 57th minute and a vertical run by the tireless Peverelli. His cross found Raffa, with the ball subsequently played to Frizzi, who missed what appeared to be a simple tap-in from close range. Building play from the back is a constant feature of the team’s style, and the home side’s pressure as the hour mark approached threatened to result in another goal. Amirzade, however, hits the post, leaving a glimmer of hope for the Rossoblù.
That glimmer grows stronger in the 73rd minute, when a loose ball falls to Muhamed Kurtishi, whose attempt is blocked by Ndiaye. The bianconero goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Junior Senaya’s tap-in. It was 3–2, and the Rhinelanders were now clearly believing they could get back into the game, coming close with a powerful right-footed shot from Kurtishi that went just over the bar. The Swiss-German glimmer of hope was finally extinguished in the 87th minute. Having just entered the opposition’s half, Rron Krueziu sent Peverelli sprinting. The No. 11 reaches the byline and delivers a low cross into the centre of the box, where David Piffero is waiting, only too happy to volley home and make it four. It could have been five had Hoch not deflected a left-footed shot from Jason Parente for a corner a minute later.
The match thus ends with a sensational and well-deserved 4-2 victory for Lugano U21, who, thanks to these three precious points, climb to 32 points. The next fixtures on the calendar will be another ‘English week’: on Wednesday 15 April at 6.30 pm, the derby against Paradiso is scheduled (at Pian Scairolo), whilst on Sunday 19 April at 4.00 pm, the team will return to Canobbio to face Young Boys’ U21s.
Before facing another seven ‘hectic’ days, the manager of the bianconero’s second team, Andrea Vitali, had this to say about the afternoon spent under the Maglio sun: ‘We’re very happy. I must congratulate the team, because they understood the situation and the difficulty of the match. We managed to dig deep and launch counter-attacks, especially in the second half. The first half, however, was more evenly balanced, though we created more chances than they did. I am therefore very pleased with the work done. In the end, I think we deserved the win simply because we never gave up on scoring, with the fourth goal coming at the most opportune moment. There were differences between the Zurich and Basel U21s, given that the two teams have distinct characteristics. We did well to understand what was needed to take home the three points. The upcoming fixtures against Paradiso and Young Boys U21? To be honest, right now, I’m happy and I can’t give a definitive answer looking ahead to those two matches. It’s right to allow ourselves a period of being happy with what we’re doing and to take the time to enjoy things.”
MATCH REPORT
Hoval Promotion League, Matchday 26
Al Maglio Sports Centre, Canobbio – 200 spectators
FC LUGANO U21 – FC BASEL 1893 U21 4:2 (3:1)
GOALS: 8' Uruejoma 0:1, 17' Tiraboschi 1:1, 26' Ajdin 2:1, 45' Frizzi 3:1, 73' Senaya 3:2, 87' Piffero 4:2.
FC LUGANO U21 (3-4-2-1): Ndiaye; Krueziu, Chiesa, Radić; Peverelli, Amirzade, Ajdin (77' Puddu), Sbai; Tiraboschi (57' Parente), Raffa; Frizzi (57' Piffero).
Substitutes: Pellanda, Gecaj, Shabanaj, Chakor.
Manager: Andrea Vitali.
FC BASEL 1893 U21 (4-2-1-3): Hoch; Jordan, Kakor, Akahomen, Schweizer; Ćorić (77' Ehana), Uruejoma; Doucouré (63' Zaidi); Rexhaj, Kuentz (63' Kurtishi), Senaya.
Substitutes: Asiedu, Dautilia.
Manager: Marco Walker.
REFEREE: Yannick Carrard.
ASSISTANTS: François Bonjour and Vincent Roggli.
BOOKED: 81' Jordan.
Men's U21April 12, 2026