Sensation in the cup semi-final
After a controversial penalty: third division writes history
04/27/2025 – 10:48 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The roles in the Swiss Cup semi-final were clearly distributed. But in the end the outsider prevailed. However, the crucial goal caused discussions.
Completely surprisingly, the Swiss third division team FC Biel-Bienne reached the national cup final on Saturday evening. The team of coach Samir Chaibeddra prevailed 1-0 against the reigning master Young Boys Bern in the semi -finals – a historical success. Because: In the hundred -year history of the Swiss Cup, a team from the third division has never managed to move into the final.
Goalkeeper Raphael Radtke, who had driven the Bernese for despair in the quarterfinals, as against FC Lugano in the quarterfinals, said after the game: “Last time I had tears in my eyes, but now it’s just a pleasure. I’m incredibly proud of this team.”
The irrepressible joy of victory had reached its preliminary climax shortly after the final whistle when the players celebrated with the fans. Video recordings that the club published in its Instagram story show the actors singing and dancing on the lawn with the supporters. Swinging flags and pyrofagers that have lit some fans in the stands can also be seen. FC Biel-Bienne also published a video of the celebrations in the cabin in his story. In this, the players even even dance on a table.
After celebrating, not everyone was that evening. The Young Boys Bern felt treated unfairly after the defeat. The reason: the gate for Biel had fallen after a controversial penalty.
Bern’s coach Giorgio Contini said about the whistle, which led to the penalty: “The whole story is very, very dubious.” The ex-professional complained that the video assistant referee Alessandro Dudic did not correct.
What happened? In the extension, the ball rolled through the penalty area of the Young Boys. Goalkeeper David von Ballmoos came out of his box to take the ball. The Biel Loïc Socka Bongué stormed up. Ballmoos braked – but Socka Bongué fell, apparently after a minimal contact with the keeper. Referee Dudic decided on a penalty.
The subsequent protests of the YB professionals didn’t help. The video assistant also did not intervene. In the 100th minute, Biel offered himself the chance of leading the lead that Malko Sartoretti did not take. The 20-year-old striker converted to victory.
After the end of the game, referee Dudic did not want to raise any doubts about the legality of the penalty. “I had a very good position and saw that the striker played the ball and the goalie (Swiss for goalkeeper, editor’s editor) was late.” The contact he saw was “decisive,”, emphasized Dudic.
A VAR intervention, which was required by Contini, would not have changed anything, the impartial also clarified. “I have seen the pictures now and would decide exactly again,” said Dudic clearly. “I work with facts.”