Ranked sixteenth in the Conference League at the start of their match against La Gantoise on Thursday evening in Thun, Lugano had the opportunity to dump their opponent, 17th with the same number of points. The Ticino people succeeded in the operation by winning 2-0.
Mattia Croci-Torti’s men immediately showed their pretensions against the Belgians. This came to fruition at Totomat in the 6th minute thanks to a success from Hicham Mahou. This early goal rather woke up the visitors who tried a lot in the first half, without finding an opening in the Ticino defense.
The second period resembled the first in the desire of Wouter Vrancken’s men to move forward. The Ticino defense was put to the test, but it passed the test with distinction.
Better, the Luganese doubled the lead at the end of the match. Entering in the 71st minute, Ousmane Doumbia ensured the victory by scoring the second goal a quarter of an hour later (86th).
These three new points allow FC Lugano to take seventh place in the League and five points ahead of the 24th and final qualifying place for the next round with two matches on the program. The next one will take place on December 12, in Warsaw, against Legia. It will be hot, the Poles are second and undefeated in the competition.
Lugano – Gent 2-0 (1-0)
Stockhorn Arena, Thoune. Referee: M. Jorgji (Alb).
Buts: 6th Mahou 1-0, 86th Doumbia 2-0.
Lugano: Saipi; Zanotti, Papadopoulos, El Wafi, Valenzuela; Grgic, Mahmoud (71e Doumbia); Steffen (90e Mai), Bislimi (90e Dos Santos), Mahou (71e Cimignani); Vladi (63e Przybylko). Entraîneur: Croci-Torti.
La Gantoise: Schmidt; Samoise (87e Brown), Watanabe, Torunarigha, Araujo; Delorge-Knieper, Ito, Kums (66th Gandelman); Surdez (66th Varela), Gudjohnsen, Lamin Sonko (77th Dean). Coach: Vrancken.
Avertissements: 31e Gudjohnsen, 49e Torunarigha, 69e Saipi, 71e Mahou, 73e Bislimi, 75e Watanabe, 80e Dean.
