FC Lausanne-Sport – Dynamo Kyiv (29-06-2022)

 

Dynamo Kyiv is touring Europe to play “matches for peace” and raise awareness and money for the suffering of the Ukrainian people as a consequence of the Russian invasion – just like the Ukrainian national (youth) team has done too. Several of the games are in Switzerland and I pick the one in Lausanne, which fits my schedule the best.

 

This game has been schedule only two weeks in advance, in the early stages of Lausanne’s pre-season schedule. It is one of the few friendlies to be played in the quite new Stade La Tuliere, built in 2017, which is all-seater and covered but quite small (12,544 people). I park at the parking lot next to the stadium and walk over to the ticket office.

 

You get to choose what you pay (CHF 10, 20, 50, 100) and then they assign you a seat. I pay CHF 20 (or $20.50) and join the 4,050 others (official number), at least half Ukrainians, many of them children. Outside is a small Ukrainian stand, where you can get info on the war as well as Ukrainian flags and face paint.

 

FC Lausanne-Sport is a club that hovers between the two top tiers of Swiss professional football. Last season it relegated from the Swiss Super League (first tier), so next season it will play in the Swiss Challenger League (second tier). Although its stadium is very new, and very similar to the many other smaller arenas built in the last decades, it is not too sterile and you sit close to the (artificial) pitch. I can imagine the place to be quite decent when it is close to full.

 

It seems that Dynamo starts with its youth team. It is not very good. In the 5^th minute, a Lausanne midfielder shoots from the top of the box and it flies beautifully in the top corner: 1-0. Some ten minutes later Dynamo has its first attack, over left, but the shot goes across the goal and just wide. Five minutes later a Dynamo free kick is deflected but well saved by the Lausanne goalie.

 

The game moves back and forth well, at times at high pace, but there are few chances. It is quite physical, however, particularly for a friendly. In the 38^th minute, mistakes in the Lausanne defense lead to a Dynamo free kick at the top of the box. It goes low past the wall but is saved by the goalie. In the 44^th minute, a bit out of nowhere, the hosts have a break and the same player shoots effortlessly from 10 meter high in the goal: 2-0. That is also the half time score.

 

In the first ten minutes of the second half the visitors get various half chances but they miss a good final pass. Then Dynamo exchanges almost all players and the first team comes on. Within minutes, they have a great shot from just outside of the box but it is met with an equally great safe.

 

The game has now gotten pretty bad and there are too many fouls. Roughly halfway the second half Lausanne also makes many changes and the rhythm is broken on both sides. Finals score is 2-0.

 

Obviously, this was a unique game, where at least half of the audience was supporting the away team, but was not really too concerned with football. That said, although the Stade La Tuliere is a fairly standard modern stadium, it does not lack for atmosphere, assuming it is fairly busy with enthusiastic supporters.