- After winning the first leg, YB also beat Galatasaray Istanbul in the second leg of the Champions League playoffs.
- Alan Virginius scored the goal for the 1-0 victory shortly before the end.
- This means that the Bernese are in the league phase of the “premier class”.
Ali Sami Yen cauldron, the loudest stadium in the world or even “the hell of Istanbul” – YB had been warned several times about the atmosphere before the away game in Turkey. The Bernese were hardly given any chances. And what did they show when it came down to it? A confident, at times even dominant, performance that was unimpressed by the atmosphere.
The reward for the strong performance came just before the end. A counterattack in the 87th minute landed with Cedric Itten, who launched Alan Virginius perfectly. Alone in front of Fernando Muslera, he kept his nerve and confidently scored the all-important 1-0. Unlike the striker, the keeper was unable to control his nerves – Muslera was sent off immediately afterward for kicking the goalscorer.
Despite being outnumbered, the Turks were unable to react despite the 10 minutes of added time. After the 2:3 defeat in the first leg, Galatasaray was too burdened to turn things around. Even the fervent crowd suddenly became extremely quiet after the defeat.
Good start from YB
YB’s progress was perfectly fine – even when looking at both games. In Istanbul, the ever-active Silvère Ganvoula and Ebrima Colley had several chances to score in the first half. After half an hour, Ganvoula’s header hit the post, and although Colley scored on the rebound, he was clearly offside.
In the second half, Berne were also unlucky with the post. Again, it was Ganvoula who deflected a corner kick onto the post (61′). It was to be YB’s last chance for a long time, as Galatasaray then entered its strongest phase of the game. The strong Marvin Keller in goal, who replaced the not fully recovered David von Ballmoos, was always a reliable support.
Unpleasant scenes
The Turkish crowd only showed its full intensity after 80 minutes of play. The substituted YB players Filip Ugrinic and Ebrima Colley were pelted with cups from the stands as they walked around the pitch. When the two sought shelter on the pitch, goalie Muslera also got involved.
After a few minutes, however, referee Espen Eskas was able to calm the situation down. But YB did not let this throw them off course – which resulted in a well-deserved away win.
This means that the Bernese have made it into the “premier class” for the fourth time. Who YB will face in the 8 matches of the league phase will be decided in the draw on Thursday. You can follow this live on SRF from 6 p.m.
