Basel lost 1:3 to St. Gallen in the Swiss Super League's ninth round at St. Jakob-Park on Sunday. The visitors took the lead early through Aliou Balde's goal in the ninth minute, then added three more to leave the hosts fourth in the table with 13 points, while St. Gallen moved up to eighth with 10.
By then, Basel had already begun to look restless. They held 68 per cent of possession but created only one big chance, whereas St. Gallen, with 32 per cent, produced four. The visitors shot more accurately — 41 per cent compared to 25 per cent — and their goalkeeper made just one save while Basel's keeper was called into action six times.
And here's the thing: Žan Celar's penalty in the 43rd minute came after Basel had already been reduced to a cautious shape. Christian Witzig doubled the lead in the 65th minute, and Carlo Boukhalfa sealed it 18 minutes later. The hosts made changes at half-time — Jonas Harder and Jozo Stanić both came off in the 45th minute — but the game had already turned.
St. Gallen's efficiency was the difference. They completed 144 passes against Basel's 393, but their 13 key passes versus four showed where the danger lay. Basel attempted 21 crosses with only four successful, while St. Gallen matched that success rate with 18 attempts.
I had backed Basel to win with 46 per cent confidence before kick-off. The prediction didn't hold because the visitors were sharper in the final third and Basel's possession became possession without purpose. The hosts' recent form — a win against Luzern followed by defeats to Lugano and Sion — made the result less surprising than the scoreboard suggests.
Basel remain fourth, eight points behind the leaders after nine games. St. Gallen sit eight points behind them in eighth, but this result closes the gap to within a single point of the teams above them. The hosts will return to training on Tuesday with a question mark over their ability to convert control into goals.
