Basel head towards Intertoto Cup final round
A 2-2 draw against rivals Lausanne on Wednesday was enough to guarantee FC Basel a place in the final round of the Intertoto Cup.
In the first leg of the fourth round tie against Lausanne last week, Basel scored a resounding 3-0 victory, giving them a clear advantage going into the second leg on Wednesday.
Taking the scores of both matches into account, Basel advanced to the final round on a 5-2 aggregate and will now face British side Aston Villa.
The reward for victory in this two-leg match would be a much-coveted place in the first round of the UEFA Cup.
Despite having a mountain to climb to avoid defeat, Lausanne began Wednesday’s match well, with a spectacular opening goal in the seventh minute from Thiaw.
Basel responded with an equaliser in the 18th courtesy of Tum, but man-of-the-match Thiaw was not willing to let his side suffer a second consecutive match defeat. The Lausanne striker put his team ahead with a second goal right on the half-time whistle.
But Basel fought back with a second goal from Carlos Varela in the 62nd, which was more than enough to ensure the team a place in the final round and keep the dream of a place in the UEFA Cup alive.
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