(Translated by Thomas Snaith)
Before the fixture:
As expected, the UEFA Europa League 2019/2020 group stage opener kicked off without Kemal Ademi and Ricky van Wolfswinkel but with Basel´s new Brazilian, Arthur Cabral (club debut). Marcel Koller trusted Eray Cömert and Omar Alderete to secure FCB´s central defensive positions. Both Silvan Widmer and Taulant Xhaka were back in the team after making way for Elis Isufi and Zdravko Kuzmanovic during Basel´s recent cup fixture against Meyrin.
The first half:
Basel kicked off the fixture with a solid and motivated performance, looking to score a quick opening goal. This nearly happened after Fabian Frei´s close range shot was blocked by Matvel Safonov. FCB kept putting on the pressure. Ten minutes into the game, Kevin Bua intercepted Aleksandr Martynovichs´pass, sprinted towards goal, and struck the ball into the back of the net... 1:0.
It´s important that we evaluate the importance of this fixture. The result is great for the goal difference, but not more.
After a short drop in FCB´s performance in the middle of the first half, the Russians were able to create some danger in front of the home team´s goal. This didn’t last for long and FCB were back on track. Five minutes before the end of the 1st half Basel´s dominance resulted in another goal. Valentin Stocker´s pass set up Kevin Bua to score his 2nd goal of the night, chipping the ball past Safonov, the Russian keeper.
The second half:
Ten minutes into the 2nd half, Luca Zuffi scored, 3:0. Soon after, Tonny Vilhena took responsibility for an own goal, 4:0 for FCB! Before the 4th goal was scored, Jonas Omlin made two important and impressive saves, keeping a clean sheet.
That was in important and impressive save. After scoring the 3:0, the fixture calmed down.
After scoring the 4:0, FCB were closer to scoring another goal than the visitors were to scoring their 1st goal of the night. Five minutes before the end of the 2nd half, Noah Okafor (who was substituted on), scored the final goal, 5:0!
After the fixture:
FCB was responsible for another “night to remember” at St. Jakob Park. Even though Basel did not face a big name team and the stadium was only half full (14´127 supporters), the fans who made it to the ground will be sure to remember Basel´s impressive performance. A 5:0 victory against the leader of the Russian league is a very positive result. FCB kicked off the start to their UEFA Europa League campaign with super result. This was the highest FCB-victory in this competition (excluding the UEFA Cup).
It must be our aim to show a similar performance in Bern. We must, in order to succeed.
This result will motivate Marcel Koller´s team ahead of their big challenge next Sunday, when FCB face BSC Young Boys in Bern (4pm, Stade de Suisse).
Match Report:
FC Basel 1893 – FC Krasnodar 5:0 (2:0)
St. Jakob-Park. – 14‘127 Supporters. – Referee Mattias Gestranius (Finnland).
Goals: 9. Bua 1:0. 40. Bua 2:0 (Stocker). 52. Zuffi 3:0 (Cabral). 54. Eigentor Vilhena 4:0 (Cabral). 79. Okafor 5:0 (Bua).
FCB: Omlin; Widmer, Alderete, Cömert, Petretta; Xhaka, Frei; Stocker (58. Okafor), Zuffi (90. Campo), Bua; Cabral (66. Riveros).
FCK: Safonov; Petrov, Martinovich, Spajic, Ramirez; Vilhena, Kambolov (46. Utkin), Olsson (60. Namli); Suleymanov, Ignatyev (67. Berg), Wanderson.
Notes: FCB without Ademi ánd van Wolfswinkel. FCK without Cabella, Cleasson and Gazinskiy (alle injured). Substitutes FCB: Bergström, Campo, Kuzmanovic, Nikolic, Okafor, Ramires und Riveros. – Yellow Cards: 51. Stocker (Foul). 64. Martynovich (Foul).
