For several weeks, Sion had almost no chance against rivals from the Superliga. Now Saturday night in the first match against the third in the Challenge League, it was shown that even a good lower class is too strong for this Sittener. Paolo Tramezzani’s team was not crushed, but was far less stylish and consistent than Lausanne-Ouchy, who could have scored more goals had they been more efficient.

Whistle from the stands

The small Lausanne club, which often played in front of several hundred spectators at Pontese this season, scored in the 26th minute thanks to Liridon Moulay, and a little less than an hour later through Giovani Bamba. Both scorers were given plenty of room before hitting the again weak defense of Zion.

Tramezzani was once again able to count on Kevin Fikentscher, the recovered No. 2 goalkeeper, and ordered the rarely used Luka Zuffi to play the role of playmaker in place of the ailing Anto Grgic. But it was not possible to reverse the trend compared to previous rounds of the Super League with only four goals and one point in the last seven games. Already during the break, the team was whistling from the approximately 9,000 spectators who were admitted free of charge to the Tourbillon that early evening.

Zion twice unlucky

Too rarely did Zion appear dangerous or convincing. The best action came in the 37th minute, when Lausanne-Ouchy captain Lavdrim Khairulahu deflected the ball twice within seconds from the goal line, first from a skilled Ilhas Chouaref and then from a header from the often clumsy Giovanni Sio. And when Fortune seemed to intervene and let Zuffy’s punch through Yasin Fortune’s back, VAR vetoed it due to a previous foul.

To prevent the first relegation since 2006, Sion had to wake up before the second leg in Lausanne on Tuesday. There are now many indications that the twelfth Super League club next season will be called Lausanne-Ouchy.

Telegram:

Sion – Lausanne-Ouchy 0:2 (0:1)

9050 spectators. – S. R. Cibelli. – Goals: 26. Moulay (Obexer) 0:1. 57. Bamba Okou) 0:2.

Sion: Fikentscher; Lavanchi, Sentini, Ziegler, Diouf (22nd Araz); Zuffy; Bua (46th Fortune), Poha (58th Carlen), Baltasar, Shuaref; Sio (89. Yapicino).

Lausanne-Ouchy: Da Silva; Gassama (79th Abdallah), Khairulahu, Pos, Obexer (79th Marufi); Bayard, Bamba; Okow, Curry (56th Danho), Moulay (79th Garcia); Aidini (70th Akichi).

Notes: Sion without Balotelli, Kavare, Cyprien, Halabaku, Ititinga, Mubanje, Zagre, Schmid (all injured) and Lindner (sick). Lausanne-Ouchy without Tsunga (suspended) and Abi (injured). Warnings: 12. Bayard. 36. Okou. 37. Araz. 39. Gasama. 80. Marufi. 81. Balthazar.