Lugano took all three points at St Jakob-Park as they saw off Basel 3-1 in the Swiss Super League's seventh round on Saturday. The visitors had already announced themselves as title contenders before kickoff, and they confirmed that status with a clinical display that left the home side searching for answers.
Abemly Meto Silu Metinho opened the scoring just after the break, capitalising on a moment of defensive uncertainty. Yanis Cimignani doubled Lugano's advantage with a second goal in quick succession, while Uran Bislimi added a third shortly after. Ahmed Kendouci rounded off the scoring late on, and by then the result was never in doubt.
and here's the thing, we had called for the away win before the game, though we gave it only 37 per cent confidence. It was not a blind prediction, simply an assessment of who had looked more composed in the weeks leading up to this fixture. Lugano have been ruthless in attack, and Basel have struggled to find rhythm away from home.
The statistics tell a story of control, though not always of quality. Lugano enjoyed 55 per cent possession and created three big chances compared to Basel's one, yet their shot accuracy sat at a modest 22 per cent. Basel managed more passes in their own half, but the visitors dominated in the final third with 88 passes compared to 78.
What matters now is what this means for the table. Lugano remain top with 18 points from six wins, while Basel sit fifth with 10 points after seven games. The gap between them has widened, and Lugano's perfect record makes them the team to beat this season.
