BERN. Young Boys sit top of the Super League for the first time in four years after a 4-2 win over newly promoted Vaduz at the Wankdorf on Sunday, their third victory in four matches. Two rounds into a season already marked by postponed fixtures and European play offs, the table has a familiar name at its summit and a new one at its foot.
The Bernese led twice in the first half and were pegged back twice. Joël Monteiro opened the scoring in the fourth minute after a move started by Kaly Sène. Milos Cocic levelled for Vaduz on 25 minutes with a low drive from 20 metres past Marvin Keller. Sène restored the lead in the 37th minute with an acrobatic bicycle kick from Lewin Blum’s cross, a finish that the Wankdorf will replay for weeks.
After the interval Alvyn Sanches and, in the 87th minute, Armin Gigovic settled the contest, Gigovic with a distant shot that gave Leon Schaffran no chance. Young Boys have 10 points from four games, provisionally one ahead of Basel and Lugano. They had not led the league after four rounds since 7 August 2022, when Raphael Wicky was in the dugout. Vaduz remain without a point.
Sène, 25, arrived from English second tier side Middlesbrough on a four year contract after earlier spells at Basel and Lausanne-Sport. His overhead kick was the image of the weekend. Sanches, another summer arrival, supplied the control that the first half had lacked.
In Zurich, Basel won the Klassiker 2-1 at the Letzigrund in a match that turned on substitutes, the video assistant and a penalty that was given, then taken back. Philippe Kény put FC Zurich ahead. Kazeem Olaigbe equalised after Xherdan Shaqiri had come on, and Zan Celar converted an 85th minute penalty, awarded after a VAR review, for the winner. In the sixth minute of added time the referee pointed to the spot for Zurich, then reversed the decision after another review when Jonas Harder’s shot had struck Flavius Daniliuc on the arm. It was Basel’s sixth win in a row against their city rivals.
Shaqiri, introduced in the 52nd minute, bent a free kick onto the wall and then onto Lindner’s gloves, and his set pieces created the chaos from which both the equaliser and the penalty arrived. Zurich’s protests continued after the final whistle. On the balance of the afternoon, Basel were the better side.
Luzern claimed a first win of the season, 1-0 against Lausanne, thanks to Matteo Di Giusto in the third minute. The 26 year old turned in a rebound and celebrated by announcing forthcoming fatherhood. Karlo Letica, starting in place of Simon Simoni and facing the club he kept goal for over three seasons, made the two saves required of him. Lausanne, unbeaten going into the round, created almost nothing.
The round was incomplete. Lugano against St Gallen, Grasshoppers against Sion, and Thun against Servette were postponed so that clubs still in European play offs could prepare. Those points, when they are played, will rearrange a table that for now belongs to Bern.
Next Saturday Young Boys travel to Basel for a meeting of first and the chasing pack, live on SRF. Vaduz host Grasshopper in a basement fixture that already carries the feel of a six pointer. Luzern go to Servette. Zurich, still digesting the Letzigrund, receive Lausanne.
Four rounds do not make a season. They do, however, set a tone. Young Boys have the points. Basel have the noise. Next Saturday they have each other.