FC Lugano deservedly defeated Finnish record champions HJK Helsinki 3-0 at the start of the Conference League – but could have won even higher.
The most important thing in brief
- FC Lugano wins 3-0 against Finnish champions HJK Helsinki.
- Antonios Papadopoulos, Martim Marques and Daniel Dos Santos score the Ticino goals.
- The Ticino team is the only Swiss European Cup team to score points this week.
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FC Lugano starts the league phase of the Conference League with a “home win” in Thun: The Ticino team confidently beat the Finnish champions HJK Helsinki 3-0 in their alternative stadium in the Bernese Oberland. Antonios Papadopoulos, Martim Marques and Daniel Dos Santos score the goals for the Bianconeri.
Will FC Lugano survive the league phase of the Conference League?
The Ticino team dominated the starting phase with a lot of possession and several chances to score. But Bislimi, Bottani and Steffen are unable to convert their opportunities into something worth counting. On the other hand, the Finns only pose a hint of danger. Only Pallas comes close to a chance after a bad rescue action by Hajdari, but he misses.
A curious 1-0 puts FC Lugano on track
The opening goal came after 33 minutes in a somewhat strange way: Papadopoulos simply took a shot from 25 meters – and the HJK keeper made a mistake. Nijhuis parries the shot, but is well in front of the goal. The ball descends again in a high arc, hits the line and then off the bottom edge of the bar into the net.
The Finns started more courageously after the break than in the first half, but Lugano scored the goal: The guests didn’t get the ball cleared after a cross, Martim Marques reacted faster than the defense. He pushed the ball over the line from close range to make it 2-0 after 56 minutes.
Finnish champion comes into play better
The guests from Helsinki get increasingly better as the game goes on because FC Lugano also shifts down a gear. After 75 minutes, the Ticino team are lucky that the Finns are denied a hand penalty. On the other side, substitute Przybylko comes a step too late.
In stoppage time, Lugano can celebrate again: Daniel Dos Santos scores with a beautiful finish to make it 3-0 in the stadium of his former club Thun. There is also reason for joy for coach Mattia Croci-Torti. Because the goal difference could still be important at the end of the league phase.
1.
1
1
0
0
6:2
3
2.
1
1
0
0
4:0
3
3.
1
1
0
0
3:0
3
4.
1
1
0
0
3:1
3
5.
1
1
0
0
2:0
3
6.
1
1
0
0
2:1
3
7.
1
1
0
0
2:1
3
8.
1
1
0
0
2:1
3
9.
1
1
0
0
1:0
3
10.
1
1
0
0
1:0
3
11.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
12.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
13.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
14.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
15.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
16.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
17.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
18.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
19.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
20.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
21.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
22.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
23.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
24.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
25.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
26.
0
0
0
0
0:0
0
27.
1
0
1
0
1:2
0
28.
1
0
1
0
1:2
0
29.
1
0
1
0
1:2
0
30.
1
0
1
0
0:1
0
31.
1
0
1
0
0:1
0
32.
1
0
1
0
1:3
0
33.
1
0
1
0
0:2
0
34.
1
0
1
0
0:3
0
35.
1
0
1
0
2:6
0
36.
1
0
1
0
0:4
0
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