Galatasaray-YB: The live ticker for the second leg of the playoff

For a long time he is the first spectator. For a long time Marvin Keller is surprisingly not called upon. But when the final phase of the second leg of the Champions League playoffs in Istanbul begins, the Young Boys need their goalie. He is down in a flash and blocks Aktürkoğlu’s shot, then he parries Demirbay. Keller keeps the score at 0:0.

That is an astonishing statement. After YB’s 3:2 win in the first leg, Galatasaray was expected to attack. Instead, a gentle breeze is blowing in hot, humid Istanbul. YB is better, more aggressive, more playful, more determined. The only criticism that the Young Boys have to make is that they haven’t rewarded themselves with a goal for a long time.

All the more so as the Turks will use any means possible to somehow turn things around. Ugrinic and Colley, who have just been substituted, are insulted by fans and have objects thrown at them as they run along the line. Mobs form.

And then the 87th minute begins, the minute that the Young Boys will remember for a long time. Substitute Virginius goes for it and beats goalie Muslera with a cool header. Suddenly it is very quiet. But then Muslera stirs everything up again, he kicks Virginius and is shown the red card.

It’s a side note. YB wins 1-0 and moves into the Champions League for the fourth time. It’s a veritable coup.

Keller instead of Ballmoos

YB coach Patrick Rahmen made one change compared to the 3-2 win six days ago in Wankdorf. And it was only half a change, because Keller was substituted for the injured David von Ballmoos after just half an hour. On Monday, Rahmen was still confident that Ballmoos’ bruised shoulder would no longer be a hindrance. But in the end, he had to accept that, despite painkillers, he was limited in certain movements.

So it all depends on Keller, this 22-year-old who appears so composed and self-assured, as if he had seen the whole football world. In the first leg, he faced the Turkish attacks as if he had been born to do so.

But in the Rams Park in Istanbul, a completely different task awaits him, one might think. Keller is not required to do anything for now.

Intrepid Young Boys

It was the Bernese who started the game better, much better in fact. Well, they had to survive a moment of shock after just a few seconds when their defender Tanguy Zoukrou knocked over Mauro Icardi in the penalty area. The referee had a perfect view and immediately signaled: no penalty.

Then the guests take over. Hadjam is blocked, Camara wins the header, Colley, always him, holds his ground and thus allows Silvere Ganvoula the chance to counter. And after half an hour it is the YB striker who has the chance again. After a corner he climbs up, his header is powerful and well placed, but it bounces off the inside post. Colley scores the opening goal. But he is offside.

The Young Boys could lead, the Young Boys should lead, and they put on an excellent performance. They don’t seem at all intimidated by the atmosphere, and each of their ball relays is accompanied by deafening whistles. Deafening – the term is used far too often, but here it is literally true.

But the support of their own fans does not give the home team any power. It is a standing game of football, eleven individuals, not a team. They only manage one shot on goal in the first half, and more than half an hour has already passed. Keller has no trouble parrying Aktürkoğlu’s scissor-kick. Galatasaray’s performance is even weaker than that in the first half in Bern, the stars seem as if they do not know that they have to make up a deficit. Frustration is spreading in the stands.

Ganvoula hits the post again

So it goes into the second half. Galatasaray changes things up, brings in fresh forces, the Turkish record champions’ performance is now more serious, more urgent. And they seem to be rewarded immediately, but Kaan Ayhan is offside when he scores.

But the Young Boys have to suffer now. They may regret it if Joël Monteiro missed from a good position after the restart. Or if Ganvoula hit the post again after a corner. But they don’t have to regret it because Virginius redeems them in the end.

End of game

The game is over. After the first leg, YB also wins the second leg against Galatasaray Istanbul and qualifies for the Champions League.

100. Minute

And the spectators no longer believe in their team. The stadium is already half empty.

99. Minute

The Young Boys are just 120 seconds away from qualifying for the Champions League.

97. Minute

Mertens tackled the YB goalscorer too hard, a frustration foul. A dark yellow card for the Belgian. Virginius had to be treated on the pitch, but was able to continue playing.

95. Minute

Corner for Galatasaray, but somehow the Turks do not give the impression that they still believe in a turnaround.

94. Minute

It is so quiet that even the 250 or so YB fans who have travelled with us can be heard.

83. Minute

Mertens takes a strong free kick into the middle – Icardi misses.

92. Minute

Another YB counterattack. Virginius shoots from a tight angle – just missing the 2-0. However, he would have had passing options in the middle.

91. Minute

The Bernese have ten more minutes to survive. It has suddenly become very quiet in the stadium.

89. Minute

And so the Turks are forced to make a substitution. Günay Güvenc comes on for Kerem Aktürkoglu.

88. Minute

Muslera loses his temper because of the goal conceded – and is sent off after the YB goal.

87. Minute

YB can counterattack – and Virginius stays cool in front of the goal. That has to be the decision.

87. Minute

Lauper blocks a shot from the Turks.

86. Minute

The Young Boys are able to clear a short corner kick from the Turks.

85. Minute

We can already prepare ourselves for a long period of injury time.

84. Minute

Ugrinic and Colley come back onto the field to escape the thrown objects. Things briefly threaten to escalate. A scuffle forms in front of the YB bench before the game calms down again. Males and Ayhan are shown the yellow card.

80. Minute

For the final phase, Patrick Rahmen brings in Malen and Chaiwa for Ugrinic and Colley, who have to endure being pelted with cups on the sidelines on their way to the players’ bench.

78. Minute

A free kick from the Turks flies out of the goal. Of course, Marvin Keller takes two or three seconds more time to kick than he did in the first half.

75. Minute

Itten comes on for unlucky Ganvoula, who hit the post twice today.

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