Aarau welcomes Vaduz

FC Winterthur is back in the Premier League. Zurich’s side overtook Aarau on the final day of the Challenge League due to a better goal difference and returned to the Swiss first division after 37 years.

Alex Frei’s side needed 26 minutes when Kriens touched down to determine the path to victory. Top scorer Roman Boyce scored his 15th goal of the season with a flick from the edge of the penalty area. Six minutes later, Sword of God Latif after pulling from the left and hitting the upper right corner jumped out. So the result of the match at Kleinfeld Stadium was indicated early. In the end, the score was 5:0, including Buess scoring twice. For Winterthur to be able to return to the Premier League at the last minute, they were counting on support. Only if FC Arau, who started the final season from first place, loses to Vaduz, can FCW overtake them.

FC Winterthur had a lot to celebrate in Kriens.Photo: cornerstone

In Aarau, the euphoria before the match was huge. 8000 tickets in Brügglifeld sold out quickly and some were put up for sale online at ridiculous prices. Everyone was sure the promotion should work this time around, having lost massively in 2019 at Barrage against Neuchâtel Xamax and after leading 4-0. But the disaster for Stefan Keeler’s team began early Saturday evening. Tonahan Cicek gave Liechtenstein the lead after 11 minutes with a single click. As a result, the FCA made an effort, after all, one target would be enough to turn the current and return to the top of the hypothetical table.

Donat Rrudhani’s shot went inches away just after the break and Randy Schneider’s shot hit the crossbar in the 55th minute. It was the plays that kept the belief that a tie would come in the end. But Cicek slipped away fifteen minutes before the end and hit Amal Arao with a header to make it 2-0. Mikael Almeida missed the target a little later, and was completely self-contained. Shkelzen Gashi confirmed in the 83rd minute with a foul penalty that the FCA was still able to attack.

Cicek hits the ball to make it 2-0 in favor of Vaduz.Photo: cornerstone

Since Schaffhausen, the third with promotion ambitions, took a 2-1 lead against Lausanne-Auche in the meantime, it was either a promotion or nothing for Aarau’s side, because in the event of defeat, the FCS would be allowed to play a volley against Lucerne or Sion. Since Almeida hit the ball again shortly before extra time and Benjamin Buchel could not be beaten at Vaduz, the scenario no one in Aarau would have wished for has occurred: the seventh season in the Challenge League will be followed by the eighth, the shock of 2019 with the 2022 season.

Meanwhile, Premier League football will be shown in Schützenwiese in Winterthur next season. After a 37-year absence, FCW is back in the national elite.

schedule

Aarau – Vaduz 1:2 (0:1)
8000 spectators. – SR Ensign. –
gates: 11- Cicek 0-1 75. Cicek 0-2. 83. Ghashi 1:2.
Notes: 55 – Model Schneider (Arau)

Krenz – Winterthur 0:5 (0:2)
3100 spectators. – S. R. Von Mandach. –
gates: 26. Buess 0-1. Lead 32 0-2. 61. Buess 0: 3. 75. Alves (penalty kick) 0: 4. 85. Demhassaj (penalty kick) 0: 5.

Stade Lausanne Auche – Schaffhausen 1-2 (1-0)
845 spectators. – S.R. Perry. –
gates: 21- Qari 1-0. 53. Bobadilla 1: 1. 77. Gonzalez 1: 2. –
Notes: 41. Labo hit the crossbar (St Lausanne – Ouchy).

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