FC St. Gallen

Match report

Nordsjælland ended their unbeaten run against St Gallen with a 3-2 victory at Berit Sitterstadion on Wednesday evening. The Danish side had beaten the Swiss hosts 1-0 just seven days earlier and now extended that advantage in the UEFA Conference League Playoff round.

The opening exchanges saw Nordsjælland take the lead through J. Lahteenmaki in the 14th minute. St Gallen responded quickly, with L. Gortler converting a penalty in the 21st minute to level matters. P. Amoako restored the Danish advantage just three minutes later before A. Balde equalised again in the 28th minute.

By then, St Gallen were down to ten men. M. Stevanovic received two yellow cards in the 39th minute and was sent off, leaving the hosts to play most of the second half with a numerical disadvantage. They made six substitutions in total, trying to find a way back into it.

It was H. Rasmussen who found that way in the 82nd minute, heading home to give Nordsjælland the winner. The Danish goalkeeper made four saves compared to two for his counterpart, while St Gallen's effort was largely spent in the final third.

The statistics tell you what you need to know about the match. St Gallen registered 15 shots with an expected goals figure of 3.24, while Nordsjælland managed 12 shots and 1.68. Possession stood at 43 per cent to 57. Many shots with one goal means chances went begging.

The result means Nordsjælland sit comfortably in control of the tie. St Gallen still have a chance, though they will need to overcome both the deficit and the memory of Stevanovic's dismissal. Things came to a head in that first half and the hosts never got out of second gear afterwards.

Prepared from match data

Key numbers

Possession, % 43 – 57.00

Shots on target 6 – 5

Shots off target 9 – 7

Expected goals 3.24 – 1.68

⚽ 14' J. Lahteenmaki — Goal ⚽ 21' L. Gortler — Penalty 🟨 22' M. Stevanovic — Yellow card ⚽ 24' P. Amoako — Goal ⚽ 28' A. Balde — Goal 🟨 39' M. Stevanovic — Yellow card 🟥 39' M. Stevanovic — Red card ⇄ 43' A. Hunziker — Substitution 🟨 45+4' I. Adel — Yellow card ⇄ 46' I. Adel — Substitution 🟨 48' L. Gortler — Yellow card 🟨 65' J. Lahteenmaki — Yellow card ⇄ 66' N. Rojkjaer — Substitution ⇄ 66' P. Amoako — Substitution 🟨 74' P. Ankersen — Yellow card 🟨 74' H. Vandermersch — Yellow card 🟨 77' J. Stanic — Yellow card ⇄ 79' L. Sadio — Substitution ⚽ 82' H. Rasmussen — Goal 🟨 82' L. Ati Zigi — Yellow card ⇄ 83' H. Vandermersch — Substitution ⇄ 83' J. Ruiz — Substitution ⇄ 83' A. Balde — Substitution ⇄ 86' C. Witzig — Substitution ⇄ 90+4' R. Norheim — Substitution

Match events

14' 0:1 FC Nordsjaelland Goal J. Lahteenmaki assist: L. Sadio
21' 1:1 FC St. Gallen Penalty L. Gortler
22' 1:1 FC St. Gallen Yellow card M. Stevanovic
24' 1:2 FC Nordsjaelland Goal P. Amoako assist: N. Rojkjaer
28' 2:2 FC St. Gallen Goal A. Balde assist: C. Okoroji
39' 2:2 FC St. Gallen Yellow card M. Stevanovic
39' 2:2 FC St. Gallen Red card M. Stevanovic
43' 2:2 FC St. Gallen Substitution A. Hunziker off: L. Frokaj
45+4' 2:2 FC Nordsjaelland Yellow card I. Adel
46' 2:2 FC Nordsjaelland Substitution I. Adel off: A. Lind
48' 2:2 FC St. Gallen Yellow card L. Gortler
65' 2:2 FC Nordsjaelland Yellow card J. Lahteenmaki
66' 2:2 FC Nordsjaelland Substitution N. Rojkjaer off: M. Brink
66' 2:2 FC Nordsjaelland Substitution P. Amoako off: H. Rasmussen
74' 2:2 FC Nordsjaelland Yellow card P. Ankersen
74' 2:2 FC St. Gallen Yellow card H. Vandermersch
77' 2:2 FC St. Gallen Yellow card J. Stanic
79' 2:2 FC Nordsjaelland Substitution L. Sadio off: V. Berthelsen
82' 2:3 FC Nordsjaelland Goal H. Rasmussen assist: A. Lind
82' 2:3 FC St. Gallen Yellow card L. Ati Zigi
83' 2:3 FC St. Gallen Substitution H. Vandermersch off: E. Owusu
83' 2:3 FC St. Gallen Substitution J. Ruiz off: C. Kleine-Bekel
83' 2:3 FC St. Gallen Substitution A. Balde off: D. Besio
86' 2:3 FC St. Gallen Substitution C. Witzig off: N. Scherrer
90+4' 2:3 FC Nordsjaelland Substitution R. Norheim off: M. Walker

Statistics

43 Possession, % 57.00

6 Shots on target 5

9 Shots off target 7

3.24 Expected goals 1.68

4 Big chances 2

94 Attacks 68

2 Corners 5

13 Fouls 12

10 Free kicks 12

2 Offsides 2

5 Yellow cards 3

1 Red cards 0

8 Goal kicks 10

21 Throw-ins 16

All statistics

6/1346% Aerial duels 7/1354%

51 Backward passes 71

6 Blocked shots 4

15 Clearances 28

3/1421% Crosses 4/667%

11/1765% Dribbles 6/1250%

0.95 Expected assists 1.32

70 Failed passes 84

2 Goalkeeper saves 4

3 Interceptions 4

14 Key passes 14

22/4945% Long passes 21/5340%

55 Passes into the final third 74

186 Passes in the opposition half 209

232 Passes in own half 334

0.29 Shot accuracy 0.31

9 Shots from outside the box 5

12 Shots inside the box 11

15/2171% Tackles 5/1242%

404 Total passes 537

Line-ups

Starting XI
#	Player	number
1	Lawrence Ati Zigi	1
4	Jozo Stanić	4
36	Chima Okoroji	36
74	Joel Ruiz	74
7	Christian Witzig	7
10	Lukas Stephan Horst Daschner	10
16	Lukas Maria Görtler	16
28	Hugo Vandermersch	28
64	Mihailo Stevanovic	64
9	Andrin Hunziker	9
14	Aliou Badara Balde	14

Substitutes
#	Player	number
25	Lukas Watkowiak	25
3	Colin Noah Kleine-Bekel	3
68	Mustafa Heidari	68
20	Leon Frokaj	20
23	Betim Fazliji	23
47	Enoch Owusu	47
63	Korsin Konieczke	63
21	M. Efele	21
31	Diego Besio	31
70	Nevio Scherrer	70

Show full squad

FC Nordsjaelland

Starting XI
#	Player	number
13	Andreas Hansen	13
2	Peter Ankersen	2
3	Tobias Salquist	3
15	S. Akyah	15
8	Nicklas Røjkjær	8
18	J. Janssen	18
23	Runar Robinsonn Norheim	23
25	Juho Väinö Valtteri Lähteenmäki	25
10	Prince Amoako Jr.	10
14	Ibrahim Adel Ali Mohamed Hassan	14
37	Lamine Sadio	37

Substitutes
#	Player	number
22	Carljohan Daniel Viktor Eriksson	22
31	Anders Sønnebro	31
4	Noah Markmann	4
28	Marcus Walker	28
32	Victor Gustafsen	32
42	M. Tuka	42
6	Mark Brink	6
29	V. Bertelsen	29
40	Hjalte Bø Rasmussen	40
47	M. Heide	47
11	Alexander Lucas Lind Rasmussen	11
17	Levi Nene	17