After five long years away from the Swiss Super League, FC Thun returned this summer with the sort of verve that makes football in this country so captivating.
Three consecutive league victories, the roar of Stockhorn Arena brimming once again, and a president’s pride expressed in simple, heartfelt terms: “It makes you realise how nice it is that so many people come to the stadium. When the team plays so well, it makes me proud. I’m glad the five years are over.”
In those early weeks, Thun were a side reborn. Christopher Ibayi’s goals, the quiet command of Niklas Steffen in goal, and the uncompromising methods of coach Mauro Lustrinelli – often called a perfectionist, sometimes to a fault – made them feel like they belonged among the elite again. A 20-game unbeaten run on Sundays added an almost folkloric aura to their revival. In the teilnehmer: fc thun tabelle, they looked more like seasoned contenders than newcomers.
For supporters searching fc Thun live streams or debating line-ups in the fc Thun forum, this was football with a sweet taste of vindication.
A Cup Sunday with a Bitter Aftertaste: FC Thun game, lost
Yet football in Switzerland has a habit of humbling. On August 17, in the modest confines of Sportplatz Spitz, the Super League’s high flyers fell to the Promotion League’s battlers. FC Breitenrain, a community club stitched into the fabric of Bern, produced a 1-0 victory that will be remembered as one of their defining days.
The symmetry with the two sides’ 2014 meeting was striking. Then, Thun had scraped through in added time. Now, the underdog struck back, cheered on by 3,000 spectators whose belief seemed to swell with each Thun misstep.
FC Thun Match Itself: Control Without Penetration
Thun played as one might expect of a top-flight side: with the ball, with field position, with an air of inevitability. But Breitenrain defended with structure, discipline, and that unteachable hunger. Early controversies – a denied penalty shout when Montolio was caught in the face, Rastoder forcing a smart save – could have tilted the game. Instead, the first half ended goalless, the sense of frustration growing.
The decisive moment came on 63 minutes. A long ball, a raised arm from Montolio, a referee’s whistle. No VAR in sight, no reprieve. Neto Gomes da Silva, calm as if on the training ground, rolled in the penalty. One-nil. And in that instant, the scent of a Coupe de Suisse upset filled the Bernese air.
The Final Push and the Goalkeeper’s Wall
Lustrinelli turned to Kastriot Imeri in the 78th minute, a debutant with pedigree and something to prove. Twice his free kicks curved towards goal, twice Breitenrain’s Kilchhofer threw himself to deny the inevitable. Stewart, Labeau, Bamert with a late header – all beaten by the goalkeeper’s inspired evening.
For Thun, dominance without incision; for Breitenrain, resolve rewarded. As one fan noted in exasperation afterwards: “Too many long balls. Not cleverly played.”
The Voices of Triumph and Regret
Bamert spoke for the vanquished: “If we don’t go 100 percent to our performance limit, something like this happens. Breitenrain sought the victory more.” His honesty captured the gulf between expectation and reality.
Breitenrain, meanwhile, could barely contain the joy. Captain Marco Hurter: “So many years we have tried. Now we have finally succeeded in the sensation. One of the most beautiful moments in my life.” And the match-winner Gomes da Silva: “We seized the situation, our match plan worked. We trained hard all week, it’s a super, super feeling.”
This was their first-ever Cup win against a Super League club – a small district’s footballing miracle.
A Lesson for the Journey Ahead
For Thun, this is not disaster but a lesson – a reminder that promotion form and Super League points cannot be carried into the Cup without application. Their league campaign resumes against FC Zürich, and their supporters will continue to buy fc Thun tickets, fill the stands, and weigh their hopes.
For Breitenrain, Zug 94 awaits in the next round – the dream continues.
And for Swiss football, this was another reminder of the Cup’s enduring charm. That in a country where even things to do in Thun includes gazing at lakes and peaks, football can still deliver drama raw enough to cut through the Alpine calm.
doragon sports 