The season is over for Lausanne-Sport. The people of Lausanne welcomed Grasshopper for this last match of the championship. Beyond the result (0-0) and a match without more, it was an evening rich in emotions for some.
It was a final, not very exciting match to which the 5,078 spectators at La Tuilière were treated. Lausanne tried to shoot a few times in front of goal in the first half. But as too often this season, it didn’t want to go in, like this superb strike from Donat Rrudhani, following good work from Antoine Bernede, who passed close to the post.
The Zurich residents, on the other hand, found the net twice, but without greater success. At the start of the match, a clash between a visitor and Noë Dussenne allowed Filipe de Carvalho to escape, pass by Thomas Castella and score in the empty cage. But the VAR showed up and the referee went to review this clash at the start of the action. The foul should have been called, the goal is cancelled.
And then at 40e, it was again Carvalho who sent the ball into the back of the goal. But the Zurich midfielder was offside and his success was not validated. Fortunately for the Lausanne residents, on the only other dangerous action (and where everything was legal) by GC, Castella made the necessary save.
Ten minutes after the start of the second half, we finally believed in the opening score. Rares Ilie shot a ball halfway between an attempted shot on target and a cross. And Rrudhani arrived at just the right time to push the ball deep. Except that in his race, he dragged a Zurich resident to the ground. VAR intervened once again and the referee ruled that there was a foul. The goal is cancelled.
The last good chance of the match was co-signed by Simone Pafundi and Samuel Kalu. The young Italian served an incredible pass to his teammate. The ball found Kalu’s head perfectly, but he unfortunately failed to hit the goal. The two teams therefore parted with a score of 0-0.
Emotion sequence
If this match had taken place a few weeks ago, we would certainly have talked for a long time about the score and the performance. We might even have written entire articles on this canceled Rrudhani goal. But on Tuesday at La Tuilière, the points didn’t matter.
The evening was marked by celebrations. First of all at the start of the match. Five players at the end of their contract were welcomed onto the pitch by a guard of honor made up of dozens of young people from the club. Simone Grippo, Chris Kablan, Stjepan Kukuruzovic, Mickaël Nanizayamo and Raphael Spiegel were applauded one last time.
But there are players we can’t just let go like that. So after the final whistle, the players, the staff, the public, took a moment to properly thank Stjepan Kukuruzovic. On the program, video retracing his journey, smoke bombs, supporters’ banner and chants. The midfielder arrived in Lausanne in 2018. This Tuesday, coming into play at the 60ethe former LS captain competed in his 160e match in blue and white. So logically, when he introduced himself to the journalists, his eyes were slightly moist. And when we ask him what was going through his mind during this special evening, words are a little lacking.
And when it comes time to come into play? Did he manage to stay focused on football and the match?
Six years at a club is not nothing. There is something to create beautiful memories. We know that the question is impossible, but we try anyway. If we had to remember just one moment from this career at Lausanne-Sport, which one comes to mind first? Stjepan Kukuruzovic, hesitates, thinks, then starts.
Stjepan Kukuruzovic will be able to add this stay in the Super League to his list of memories. For the future, the midfield is not yet fixed. “If something comes up and I feel good, I have the motivation to continue playing,” explains the man nicknamed Kuki. “If not, it’s over.”
The club also wanted to thank the public. Indeed, La Tuilière has seen good attendance in recent weeks. ©KEYSTONE/Jean-Christophe Bott
On Ludovic Magnin’s side too, there was some dust in his eye. With the coach, for once, there was no question of talking about the match. The season is over, the objective achieved. So, now that the pressure can ease a little, it’s an emotional and proud Ludovic Magnin who gives us his feelings about the end of the season.
Players come and go, that’s the game in all sports. But when emblematic players, pillars, leave, it’s not the same.
The club must now manage the squad for next season. “There are contract ends that we still need to discuss, just like loans and players under contract who will have offers,” explains Ludovic Magnin. And on a sporting level, preparation will begin in mid-June with two days of tests, training and friendly matches in various locations in Vaud. “Proximity. To give this team to the Vaudois so that we can see them, touch them, I think that’s also something important and we’re not going to lose that,” says the coach.
