For their last match of the first round, Servette FC conceded a defeat against a more offensive Young Boys team. The Garnets were never able to find the solution to come back to the score and logically lost 2-1.
What to remember
Before going to Bern this Sunday, the Genevans remained in a draw against FC Winterthur. This meeting represented an opportunity for Servette to end the year in style. The return to Wankdorf Stadion also evoked good memories, since it was on this ground that the garnet club won the Swiss Cup last June. A favorable sign?
As in the previous match, Servette opened the scoring and took the advantage, but ended up falling back and conceding the equalizer at the end of the first half. Too harmless in this meeting, the Genevans shot on goal too few times and were too imprecise to hope for better.
A new opportunity to move to the top of the championship is gone. From now on, Thomas Häberli’s men are two points behind Lugano, who have a game in hand.
We will remember the beautiful tribute from the Servette players for Meschack Elia, who experienced the loss of her young child this week. In addition to wearing a jersey in the name of the Bernese player, the entire stadium held a minute of silence for him. All our condolences.
The thread of the match
Supported by a group of Geneva supporters who had traveled in disguise for the Escalade, the Servettians quickly took control of the game and imposed their rhythm. After a few chances, Simbakoli found Derek Kutesa at the edge of the area, who demonstrated all his technique by chaining a control, a dribble, then a left-footed cross shot, thus beating the Bernese goalkeeper.
While the supporters of the city of Calvin sang the Sequéléno, the Young Boys players gradually regained the upper hand, becoming more and more threatening in front of Jérémy Frick’s goals. Shortly after, the capital club managed to reduce the score, but Bernese striker Silvère Ganvoula was flagged offside.
Servette takes advantage of the spaces left by Young Boys to go on the counter-attack, and Derek Kutesa is close to doubling the lead, but he too is offside on a pass from Miroslav Stevanovic. Just before the break, the Swiss champions equalized thanks to a great action on the left, concluded by Darian Males, left alone at the far post by the Geneva defense. The two teams return to the locker room with a parity score.
Back on the pitch, the Bernese club attacked and obtained their sixth corner of the game. The shooter finds an unmarked player, who heads the ball to a teammate. The latter hits the ball towards the goal, but finds Males on his trajectory who deflects it and scores his second goal of the match. At the end of the match, Servette tries to come back and Kutesa serves Jérémy Guillemenot who finds the post.
Apart from this occasion, Servette never really seemed to worry Young Boys in the second half.
The turning point of the match
Young Boys’ equalizer. This goal gave confidence to Joël Magnin’s players, who were able to deploy their game and undermine the Servetti defense by passing close to the third goal on several occasions.
Player of the match
On the Servetti side, only Kutesa and Simbakoli were able to shine at times, notably on the opening score.
On the opponent’s side, Darian Males was the man of the match, the Young Boys player having allowed his team to win this last meeting of the year by scoring a double.
Servette FC therefore ends 2024 with a defeat. We hope that the winter break will allow Thomas Häberli and his staff to find solutions to make the team’s performances more consistent.
After a busy year of competitions, the players will take advantage of this period to rest. With only the championship to be contested in the second part of the season, the Servettians will have to demonstrate concentration and consistency if they want to win the Swiss championship title, which has eluded them since 1999.
Cover photo: Victor Perrin
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