Young Boys suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League, with Marcus Thuram scoring the decisive goal in stoppage time. Despite a commendable effort, including a crucial penalty save by goalkeeper David von Ballmoos, YB could not find the net. The team displayed improvement after earlier losses but failed to secure their first points in the group stage. YB will face Lugano next before playing Shakhtar Donetsk on November 6.
- Young Boys suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Inter Milan in the Champions League, showcasing a commendable performance.
- The decisive goal for the “Nerazzurri” came from Marcus Thuram during added time.
- David von Ballmoos, the YB goalkeeper, made a crucial save from a penalty right after halftime, witnessed by 31,500 fans in Bern.
- Click here for a summary of other matches played on Wednesday.
After two significant losses in their Champions League journey against Aston Villa and Barcelona, YB seemed poised to secure their first points at home against Inter Milan. However, their hopes were dashed in stoppage time when they lost focus against Lautaro Martinez and Federico Dimarco, following the substitution of Lewin Blum. Dimarco’s cross found Marcus Thuram, who headed the ball past defenders and the goalkeeper into the net.
Time was not on YB’s side as they could not find an equalizer. Interim coach Joël Magnin’s squad remained goalless and point-less in their third Champions League match. They could have easily earned at least one point against Inter without it feeling undeserved.
Exceptional Performance from Von Ballmoos
Despite the defeat, Von Ballmoos was impressive, thwarting various opportunities from the “Nerazzurri”. The visitors had the upper hand in terms of chances but were unable to capitalize for a significant part of the match, mainly due to the goalkeeper’s heroics:
- 31st minute: Von Ballmoos executed a brilliant save after a slick exchange between Mehdi Taremi and Yann Bisseck.
- 48th minute: Immediately upon the second half’s commencement, Jaouen Hadjam fouled Denzel Dumfries in the penalty area. Von Ballmoos saved the ensuing penalty taken by Marko Arnautovic and also denied Dumfries’ follow-up.
YB demonstrated their skill and resilience throughout the match. Despite Magnin making seven changes to the team from their recent victory against Lucerne, they matched Inter’s intensity and even registered more shots on goal (20 to 19). The Italians, who had rotated seven players in preparation for their match against Juventus, appeared lackluster, especially in the first half.
YB’s tactical play down the left flank, led by Hadjam, created multiple opportunities. Two dangerous crosses set up headers from Alan Virginius and Lukasz Lakomy. Joël Monteiro narrowly missed scoring when his shot struck the post, leaving Inter’s Yann Sommer helpless.
Ultimately, YB left the pitch without international points, continuing to seek success even after the recent coaching change from Patrick Rahmen to Magnin.
Looking Ahead
YB will engage in another match where Italian is spoken as they travel to Lugano in Ticino on Sunday. Their upcoming Champions League fixture is scheduled for November 6 in Gelsenkirchen against Shakhtar Donetsk, who are currently playing away from home due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.