Champions League: YB loses 1:3 to Leipzig

Young Boys narrowly missed out on a point in their Champions League opener against powerhouse RB Leipzig. Xaver Schlager scored a quarter of an hour before the end to make it 2-1 for the German club, and Benjamin Sisko also made it 3-1 in stoppage time.

A beautiful goal from Meshack Elia, a great performance from Anthony Racioppi, a strong team and a bit of luck: Young Boys did not disappoint the 31,500 fans in Wankdorf on the first Champions League evening in Wankdorf. Little was missing and Young Boys would have started their third Champions League campaign with a positive surprise. Despite a very early deficit, Leipzig’s strong play for 15 minutes and 6:21 shots in the end, the score was 1-1 until the 73rd minute. Only then did Schlager make it 2-1, which started the second half. Cisco’s counterattack in stoppage time only changed the final result.

The decisive factor was the 2-1 victory over Austrian Xavier Schlager, who succeeded in scoring a long-range shot from 25 meters away. Racioppi, officially No. 1 since this week even after the return of David von Palmos, had a slightly ambiguous view. Ten minutes earlier, the goalkeeper prevented the score from turning the score to 1-2 with a brilliant reaction.

In between, Young Boys were also fortunate that Leipzig substitute Benjamin Sisko’s goal was not given due to a tight offside position. Before that, Albanian referee Enea Jorgci also meant well for the Bern team when he considered that Racioppi’s behavior against Xavi Simons did not deserve a penalty kick, even after watching the video images. Although there was contact, the connection was not strong enough for Georgie to review his original decision.

After Elia’s equaliser, the Bernese were allowed to dream of winning a point for a long time. Image: www.imago-images.de

Even if one point seems tangible: defeat on artificial turf ultimately corresponds to the strength of the team. Wiki’s lineup showed how much respect the people of Bern have for the first team from the Bundesliga. Surprisingly and for the first time ever, the YB coach sent three defenders onto the field: Uriel Aminda, Mohamed Kamara and Loris Benito. Saidi Janko plowed the right side, and Ulises Garcia, who was listed in midfield on paper, plowed the left side. This was the most defensive formation Wicky had chosen to date as YB coach.

What was supposed to bolster the defense didn’t look very promising early in the game. Leipzig’s fast-paced footballers got off to a furious start, looking menacing in the box three times in the first three minutes and taking the third chance to take the lead. Center back Mohamed Simakan was there after David Raum’s corner kick at the near post and he hit the near post. Anthony Racioppi didn’t look very good, but that may have been because the ball hit his head.

What was even more impressive was how the Young Boys recovered after a 15-minute spell of opposition pressure. Without Vicky moving away from the tactical formation, things were balanced until the end of the first half. After half an hour, Young Boys had their first chances. Meschack Elia and Sandro Lauper stumbled at the start, then a brilliant combination through Ulisses Garcia and a fit-again Filip Ugrinic saw Elia level. With a typical ‘Spitzguuge’, Ilya scored from outside the box after Ugrenich cleverly cleared Garcia’s flat pass into the middle. (seda)

Young Boys – Leipzig 1:3 (1:1)
31,500 spectators (sold out).
SR: Georgian (ALB)
Portals: 3. Simakan (Room) 0:1. 33. Elia (Ugrini) 1: 1. 73. Schlager (Campbell) 1: 2. 92. Sisko (Henrix) 1: 3.
Young Boys: Racciopi. Amanda, Camara, Benito; Yanko (seventy-seventh bloom), Lauber (seventy-seventh male), Garcia (seventy-seventh male); Niasi (85. Nsami), Ugrinik; Iten (70. Genvola), Elijah.
Leipzig:blaswitch; Henriques, Simakan, Lokipa, Space; Campbell, Schlager. Xavi Simons (88 Werner), Forsberg (80 Baumgartner); Obinda (88. Linz), Poulsen (64. Sisco). Alarms: 45. Benneteau, 56. Campbell, 61. Lauber, 70. Simons, 77. Bloom, 80. Forsberg, 90.

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