After a memorable penalty shoot-out, Servette Geneva have been crowned Swiss Cup winners. Coach René Weiler’s team ultimately benefited from the miss of a German professional
27,710 spectators, including Lara Gut-Behrami, one of the Swiss team’s alpine skiing stars, flocked to the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern, which was not completely full, to watch the 2024 cup final. In the duel: league third Servette Geneva from the French-speaking part of Switzerland and runners-up FC Lugano from the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. They were to experience a dramatic end after a slow start. But first things first.
Cheered on by vociferous fans, Servette entered this showdown after a 23-year absence. There is not much more to say about the first 90 minutes. In the closing stages of normal time, Lugano appealed in vain for a penalty after Geneva’s Keigo Tsunemoto got a hand to the ball. However, the VAR did not overrule referee Alessandro Dudic, who had allowed the play to continue
Ex-Nuremberg man Weiler substitutes goalkeeper and wins
In extra time, Servette coach René Weiler, known in Germany from his time at Nuremberg, then resorted to a tactical trick late on: in the 119th minute, he brought on reserve goalkeeper Joel Mall, the goalkeeper at Darmstadt 98 in 2017/18, for his regular keeper Jeremy Frick. Mall is said to be the better penalty taker, but first had to stop a dangerous shot from Argentinian Ignacio Aliseda to prevent the final from ending after extra time.
In the lottery, Lugano then had no fewer than three chances to seal the deal. Had their hands on the trophy three times. But the Ticino side missed each time. First Jonathan Sabbatini, then ex-Wolfsburg player Renato Steffen, then Albian Hajdari. Two of the shots were saved by Mall, who lived up to his reputation – and also scored himself. And so it came as it had to come: Lars Lukas Mai failed with the 24th shot in this penalty thriller. The former Werder player, who emerged from the Bayern youth academy, had sunk FC Lugano’s very first attempt. When he tried again, the 33-year-old Mall won the duel – and became the hero in this final match
Eighth Cup win for Servette – Lugano in the CL qualifiers
Servette then celebrated their eighth Cup victory in the club’s history, the first after a 23-year wait, to frenetic cheers from the fans who had traveled with them. Lugano, on the other hand, were deeply saddened after losing another cup final to YB last year (2:3). A not-so-small consolation: the runners-up can play in the Champions League qualifiers. However, because their own stadium is currently being renovated, fans will have to travel to Thun in the Bernese Oberland to watch their team
