Cornaredo is set to host the penultimate fixture of the regular season, a crucial clash against league leaders FC Thun. For Lugano, this is a match where league position, ambitions and a stage of the season where every detail can make the difference all come into play. From the opening minutes, the Bianconeri approach the match with courage and character, immediately attempting to impose their rhythm and aggression against a solid and well-organised Thun side. The first, huge, chance comes as early as the 6th minute: Dos Santos escapes the press in midfield and plays in Steffen, who finds himself all alone in the box and hits the post with his left foot.
It was mainly down the right that the Bianconeri found space in the opening quarter of the match, with Steffen again at the heart of several potentially dangerous situations. Thun, for their part, responded in the 20th minute with a solo run by Imeri, who reached the edge of the box and, with a curling left-footed shot, hit the crossbar, levelling the score on the woodwork. The match thus remained evenly balanced, but towards the end of the half it was Lugano who stepped up a gear again: in the 41st minute, an inspired Steffen once more started from the right, cut inside and struck with his left foot, only to be denied by an excellent diving save from Niklas Steffen. From the resulting corner, Cimignani also had a shot, but it was weak and straight down the middle. The Bianconeri nevertheless ended the first half on the up, with the feeling that they were in control of the game.
DOS SANTOS BREAKS THE DEADLOCK, SAIPI SAVES THE DAY
The second half began with a scare for Croci-Torti’s men, as in the 48th minute Thun put together a fine move down the right and crossed into the box for Heule, who struck the post from a tight angle. However, it was an incident that did not alter the momentum of the match, as Lugano continued to look sharper and more confident, and in the 60th minute they were rewarded for their efforts: Steffen launched the counter-attack and released Dos Santos down the left; the number 27 cut inside and unleashed a perfect curling right-footed shot that nestled under the crossbar, sending the Cornaredo crowd into raptures. The lead was deserved, and Lugano even had the chance to seal the win shortly afterwards, when in the 66th minute Cimignani got on the end of Bislimi’s cross at the far post but fired over from close range. From then on, the match changed, with Thun increasing the pressure, bringing on fresh attacking players and persistently seeking an equaliser through their best weapons: one-on-ones, second balls and set-pieces. The Bianconeri, for their part, tightened up and looked to strike on the counter-attack. It then required concentration, solidity and, at the decisive moment, a superb save: in the 91st minute, Reichmuth won a duel with Delcroix, entered the box and struck a powerful, angled shot, but Saipi responded like a champion and tipped it away for a corner. It was the save that secured three crucial points: Lugano beat league leaders Thun for the second time in a row following their victory in Bern last November and returned to winning ways exactly one month after their last victory (Lugano 1-0 Sion).
Now attention turns to the away trip to Zurich on Saturday 11 April, the final fixture of the regular season, before facing Thun again at the Stockhorn Arena in twenty days’ time, as part of the Championship Group.
MATCH REPORT
FC LUGANO – FC THUN 1-0
Brack Super League – Matchday 32
4 April 2026 – Stadio di Cornaredo
Attendance: 4,638
Scorer: 60’ Dos Santos
FC LUGANO (3-4-2-1): Saipi; Papadopoulos, Mai, Delcroix; Zanotti (83’ Alioski), Grgić, Bislimi, Cimignani (71’ Marques); Steffen (83’ Belhadj), Dos Santos (83’ Bottani); Koutsias (90’ Pihlström).
Subs not used: Mina, Kelvin, Mahou, Kendouci.
Head coach: Mattia Croci-Torti.
FC THUN (4-2-2-2): N. Steffen; Fehr, Montolio, Bamert, Heule; Bertone (79’ Roth), Käit (86’ Gutbub); Imeri (67’ Reichmuth), Meichtry (67’ Matoshi); Rastoder, Labeau (67’ Dursun).
Subs not used: Spycher, Franke, Rupp, Dähler.
Head coach: Mauro Lustrinelli.
Referee: Johannes von Mandach
Assistants: Nicolas Tuberosa and Susanne Küng
Fourth official: Mirel Turkes
VAR and AVAR: Nico Gianforte and Maxime Odiet
Booked: Montolio (THU), Papadopoulos (LUG), Cimignani (LUG), Heule (THU), N. Steffen (THU).