Young Boys (YB) made their way to the semifinals of the Swiss Cup with a thrilling 3-2 victory over FC Zurich (FCZ) at the Letzigrund Stadium on Thursday evening. The match was filled with drama, key turning points, and impressive displays from both teams, showcasing why it was labeled as the premier Cup quarterfinal between two Super League contenders.
The encounter kicked off with high intensity, with FCZ taking the lead through Steven Zuber, who exploited YB goalkeeper David von Ballmoos' unfortunate positioning to score with a sharp shot from the edge of the box. The goal came after several attacking initiatives from the home side, giving them momentum.
Yet, the tide turned dramatically shortly after FCZ's goal. A contentious moment unfolded when FCZ defender Rodrigo Conceição was shown a red card for what was deemed by referee Urs Schnyder as a last-man foul during a tussle with YB's Filip Ugrinic. Initially, the decision was to show Conceição yellow, but after consulting with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Schnyder upgraded the card to red, prompting outrage from the home team's fans and players.
“For me, it didn’t look like a foul at all. I believe the player slipped,” FCZ captain and goalkeeper Yanick Brecher lamented after the match. Many echoed this sentiment, arguing the VAR intervention should not have occurred for such minimal contact.
With FCZ now down to ten men, YB capitalized on their numerical advantage. Just before halftime, Ugrinic was able to equalize, sending the teams to the break tied at one goal apiece. It was a pivotal moment, turning the game's momentum firmly back to YB.
The second half began with renewed vigor from YB as they pushed for dominance. FCZ managed to take the lead once again through Mariano Gomez, who scored from close range after connecting with a corner. But YB responded quickly with Zachary Athekame scoring to level the match once more. Athekame displayed his skills, netting his first goal for YB and establishing himself as one of the standout performers of the night.
Then came the decisive moment of the match. Ebrima Colley, who had been substituted on, found himself perfectly positioned after being set up by Cedric Itten, making no mistake as he slotted home to give YB the lead for the first time at 3-2. It was both sweet relief and jubilation for the visitors who had battled hard to find themselves on top.
FCZ pressed on trying to find yet another equalizer, creating multiple opportunities, but they couldn’t finish, partly due to YB's resilient defense and Brecher's commendable efforts. The match concluded with YB celebrating as the underdogs from Zurich saw their dreams of lifting the cup dashed.
While the match ended with FCZ feeling bitter with the red card decision, YB asserted their strength, securing their spot in the semifinals against FC Biel, adding another chapter to their storied history.
Next up, FC Zurich will attempt to regroup when they face Lugano on Sunday, hoping to bounce back from this disappointing cup exit.